Cute restaurant that feels like you're in Japan. Service was friendly, but sometimes lacking. The veggie 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. read more

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Checked out Ramen Boys in the Oakland/Piedmont area to use our Amex Resy credit--and so glad we did. Walked in with a reservation and were seated right away. The space is modern with a cool Japanese flair, and the menu focuses on small bites and ramen. What immediately caught our eye: the duck ramen, tempura, and a fermented cabbage slaw with a kimchi-like kick. The apps did not disappoint--the cabbage had bold, unique flavors and the tempura batter was incredibly light, featuring squash and greens I'd never tried before. And the star of the night: the shoyu duck ramen. Tender duck, a perfectly jammy shoyu egg, and thoughtful toppings made it uber delicious. Finished strong with their sesame seed ice cream, which was the perfect ending. Definitely a hit--highly recommend. read more

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All these years later and I'm laughing when I read my 2017 review of Ramen Shop. Though I loved most everything about the place back then, I found the prices to border on the ridiculous. And all these years later? The prices don't just border on ridiculous; they leap up above the bar for such things. To wit: All in, I paid $121 for two bowls of ramen, a glass of wine ($16), and a beer ($10). Ramen Shop features a rather succinct menu which includes 3 ramen offerings, a donburi, and fried rice. The Chicken Shoyu Ramen runs $35. The Garlic Miso Ramen runs $28.50. Both are very good but one should hope so, given those prices. On the plus side, ambiance and service are great. Obviously, I get to Ramen House reliably about once every 8 years. With an ounce of luck, I look forward to enjoying my next meal here in 2033 when I'm figuring a bowl of ramen will top a cool $50. Even then, I'll probably still like the place. Sigh. P.S. Your Ramen Shop bill currently includes a 5% fee and a suggested tip amount starting at 18% and escalating from there. read more

The Ramen shop never seems to disappoint in Rockridge Oakland. My husband and I often like to go in and grab a cocktail at the bar. The drinks are very flavorful and strong. For New Year's Eve we went to the special event at the Ramen shop for the first time and really enjoyed ourselves with Japanese appetizers a DJ and great drink. On normal days, we like to catch the appetizers with a bowl of Ramen or my husband's favorite is the fried rice!!! It's a little smaller inside, but it's intimate and very cozy. Staff is often very helpful and quick. read more

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We dined at Ramen Shop on a weeknight for dinner and it was an alright experience. The restaurant is 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. read more

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I have a love hate relationship with Ramen Shop, we absolutely love their cocktails and enjoy sitting outside with our dog. But unfortunately the prices on the food are very steep! The food is good but $30 for a bowl of ramen is outrageous, especially when you consider some of the other options in the nearby area. The staff are always very nice and friendly which makes it even harder to rate them so low. We will continue to come back for the drinks and good vibes, but the food prices make it really hard to justify. read more

Ramen Shop - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

Over priced. Small bowls. Few (3) ramen choices. Luke warm upon delivery. Uninspired ingredients. Why is this place relevant? Still crowded. Huhhh?!? Nice ambiance. Hip place?!? We are done. Too many other choices in the Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville area that have better ramen at more reasonable prices. This place was revolutionary for the first several years after it opened, but the last four visits were disappointing. We've been hopeful. We've waited years to return, with the same "meh" outcome. Sad. I was hoping for a different outcome, but no. Time and time again... Hey Ramen Shop, Y'all should take these words seriously or you will lose more customers. Like us. read more

I feel I should preface this by saying I thought the ramen was fine. The service was pretty good. That said, I do not intend to come back. It was disappointing to me honestly. I actually really like the noodles. But the flavor of the broth really didn't blow me away. It's not bad exactly, it's pretty well balanced. It's unobjectionable. But I had hoped for more, particularly at this price point. I also found it distressing that it was impossible to make my ramen spicy no matter how much chili paste I added. It's just that I can find something I will enjoy more elsewhere for less. I pretty much never comment on anything but the food, but this was such a massive outlier that I feel I must mention that the lighting was hilariously dim and the interior is very dark. It might be a good spot for a first date with someone from Tinder if your photos are misleading because your date probably won't be able to tell. read more

Absolutely love this ramen spot. Yes, some people mention the prices in their reviews, but when you're using genuinely high-quality ingredients, it is going to cost more -- and it's worth it. The ambiance is warm - vibey wood decor and beautifully lit. The waitstaff was friendly and prompt, and the hostess was inviting. It's just a delicious bowl of ramen. Rich broth, perfect noodles -- exactly what you want. We also ordered the veggie tempura to start, and it was great: light, crisp, and full of flavor. Highly recommend. read more

The salmon poke bowl had maybe 8 little pieces of salmon, plain, tasteless & so small for $30.. I've had better poke bowls at fast food stores.. the others foods & appetizers were also small & very mediocre... the bill came as if we had dined in a Michelin spot with no itemized receipt, I'm sure we were overcharged.. the atmosphere is nice if you like darkish bar focused restaurants which I don't since the emphasis is usually on drinks rather than the food.. the service was good. Will not go back.. should have looked up reviews, rather than just randomly walking in.. :-/ read more

Let's be frank--I would not come back because the price does not justify the taste. But $30 bowl of tonkotsu ramen while decent, the taste was marginally better then other good ramen places for 40% less. Rich yet light--less oily than average ramen shops. Can't justify the price. $60/pp for ramen, shared 1 salad, and 1 non-alcoholic drink. Yikes. I'm sure there was discussion around aesthetics of having a whole slice of lightly charred pork belly elegantly strewn across the bowl, but it was not practical to eat and TBH was unexpected--I felt the heavy earthy pork aroma and the multitudes of textures of luke warm pork fat and semi-chewy meat left me confused if I liked it or not. Chicory salad was beautifully plated-- interesting lettuces, light red wine vinaigrette, light sprinkle of roasted marconas and parm. Simple preparation Drink menu was unique-- enjoyed the hop water Service was kind and prompt, and it was nice to see the kitchen exposed Ambiance is dark and somewhat romantic-- I guess a place to take you date to get fancy noodles. read more

this was a cute place. i loved the decor and the ambiance. it was cool to have a view of the kitchen! the staff was very friendly as well, which is always a huge plus. the turnip cakes were surprisingly good. the texture was nice and smooth and the flavor was a nutty but sweet/ smokey flavor. both the spicy ramen and the original ramen were yummy. the spicy one definitely packed a great punch, it had my nose running! overall a good experience. BUT the fact a bowl of ramen is 28$, is a bit excessive in my opinion. i added corn into mine, which was an additional 4$ for a quarter cup of corn- over priced for sure. would recommend, but be wary of the prices. read more

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We were excited to try this place after our daughter's athletic event, but unfortunately, we didn't end up staying. We arrived after 9 PM, sat down, and waited for service, but no one acknowledged us. After waiting awhile, we decided to go elsewhere. To be fair, we also weren't completely sold on the menu--it had some unique sounding but pricey ramen options that didn't seem like the right fit for us. Still, it was disappointing to feel invisible. We would have tried it if someone came to take our order. read more

Odd ingredients in the ramen, but it was surprisingly good and the ingredients mostly complimented each other. Being Japanese, I was highly skeptical of this seemingly hipster take on my people's food, but I did appreciate the use of a very traditional ingredient - chrysanthemum leaves. While wildly non-traditional when it came to the other toppings, the noodles were cooked well, not over or under done, and they were plentiful. The broth was rich, albeit a bit salty. I was unable to finish all of the broth, which was a bit of a disappointment and bit of a waste. I had a cocktail that used St. George's spicy green chile infused vodka, which was very tasty but tasted mostly of juice. I appreciate the use of "shichimi" in the decaription The biggest gripes I have are that: 1) the toppings were beyond scant. When one is paying $28, pre tax and tip for a bowl of mostly noodles and broth, it leave a lot to be desired. 2) the BIGGEST NO NO was when the server/runner brought our bowls, and each of her thumbs were generously marinating in our ramen from kitchen all the way to our table, until she put the bowls down in front of us. Imagine someone soaking their cuticles in preparation for their manicure, but in your bowl of food. We were with friends and didn't want to make a fuss, but as someone who worked as a waitress for over a decade and ran a restaurant, this was quite appalling from a food safety/hygiene and service level perspective. I might consider returning, even at the high price of the ramen, if the lack of toppings are addressed. I know shrinkflation is effecting everyone, but 2 Tbs of ground pork that I had to go on a treasure hunt to find, a 1-2 Tbs of pickled veg at the bottom of the bowl, half an egg, 2 brussel sprouts cut up and fried, and a few sprigs of chrysanthemum leaves isn't going to entice me to return for $28+, no matter how good the broth and noodles are. read more

Ramen Shop - Ramen with crispy pork shoulder, but "where's the pork?!" - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

What are you waiting for! You don't even need to like Ramen. The minute I walked in Dave looked at me and humbly asked 'what can I get you?' Dear Kat, who we had a reservation with, we decided to stay at the bar and she said 'no problem!' Now let's get to the food. Beyond phenomenal. Chicory salad, Chicken and shrimp. dumplings rice. come with your mouth wide open. read more

Ramen Shop - Chicory salad - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

The food is just common Japanese stand food. The price for vegies ramen is way over priced. The fried rice is over priced. Setting out side left a foul taste as well. I was staring into a planter filled with egg shells. The table was filthy and you stuck to it. They should provide paper table cloths. Sorry but the place is just not worth it. Th read more

Premium pricing for very mediocre ramen. Being the only Asian person there made the experience feel culturally dissonant. Place was clean, people were nice. Have given this place a try twice. Never coming back. read more

Trendy spot with great ambience, cocktails, and tapas. Ramen was just ok (and expensive) but I really liked our duck fried rice and the mushroom tempura was amazing. Cocktails were creative too! We live walking distance so we'd probably come back It was packed at 8pm on a Friday so I recommend reservations! read more

Ramen Shop - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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We've come to this beautiful space for a many years -- tonight as we were sharing a 4 top with some friends - ordering many different dish's -- we ask if they'd split a ramen bowl -- they declined and I find this ridiculous -- I just can't see that that is difficult for them and it is difficult for the clients to execute at the table -- DO BETTER -- your just not so hip not to value customer experience read more

Great ambiance. Good food and service. I was skeptical about the yelp rating but it's way better than a 3.5 overall IMO. Sauce from the duck and shrimp dumplings was flavorful. Ramen is decent, lots of flavor in the broth. Noodles had great texture. Beat the expectations. read more

It's called Ramen shop and there's only 3 ramen items on the menu. I gave this spot 2 stars for 2 reasons. -Nice moody ambiance -Full Bar with multiple cocktails available I took away 3 stars for 3 reasons -Price not worth the food, $30 for 1 bowl that taste mediocre -Slow service, my gf almost walked out becuz no one was coming to take our order -limited selections, a ramen shop with no Tonkatsu is a diabolical. read more

For a while I withheld reviewing because honestly sometimes, the ramen isn't quite delicious enough to justify the price. Until recently. Ramen Shop is where I had my first bowl of gourmet ramen when I was in my early twenties. That bowl from more than a decade ago set the bar for every ramen I've had since. Last week, I was craving simple soup and vibes (which are always great at Ramen Shop) so stopped in. I had the chicken shoyu ramen. It was PERFECT. The broth was flavorful but not too heavy, the toppings a delicious mix of traditional and contemporary. I enjoyed it with arguably the best cocktail on College Avenue, The Perfect Day. I am honestly still thinking about this meal. I am more excited than ever to give their other menu items a try. read more

Ramen Shop - A Perfect Day cocktail and a great book - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

This ramen shop makes the best egg yolk in the East Bay! I love how the broth is always so delicious and in the right temperature. Service is attentive and fast. I love the interior decor of this restaurant. The chefs here are so creative with their ramen soups. Drinks are amazing as well. On top of all that, great location! read more

Tasty but SO overpriced. $30+ for a bowl of ramen? You've gotta be kidding me. Inflation is real. read more

Ramen Shop - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

Wonderful Ramen experience nestled in Oakland California. Love their spicy Ramen. The soup was delicious and the meat was fresh. I thought it was interesting that they made you pay more for the other half of the egg lol the fried okra was also really cool. Finally for dessert we had this. Black sesame ice cream sandwich which I've never had before and it was awesome and I'm not a sweet person. Thankfully, it wasn't overly sweet and it had great texture flavor to it. My only criticism is the price point as others have already mentioned. read more

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Service was great! Garlic Miso ramen with half an egg, corn, some greens, and 2 prawns for $35, not very flavorful and not worth the price. I wish employees' healthcare benefits wasn't the patrons' costs (5% on top of total bill). we're tipping already. The transparency doesn't make it look better... still another greedy business owner. read more

I am so sorry Ramen Shop. My previous review had you at 5 stars. The waitstaff is amazing. I know the quality is strong. But we walked in two days ago and there were 3 choices. Chicken, Veggie or Spicy Chashu. With these limited options, it was absolutely ludicrous to see how much your prices have gone up. You were already pricey, but now $28.50 for a bowl of Ramen? With half an egg!?!?! Are you kidding? I have posted a copy of the menu for review. This is easily at least $10-$12 more than a standard bowl of Ramen. Are you really worth $8-10 a bowl more than Marafuku? When bowls are half the size? Before anyone starts arguing "but the qualty!", the shishito peppers were more expensive than those at Chez Panisse. My heart breaks. I imagine you have to pay more in rent or for ingredients, but given the limitations of the menu we just couldn't stay. Please read everyone's review and at least make it a whole egg. read more

Ramen Shop - Food Menu - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

My brother and I wanted a laid back bar and warm food- Found it!!!! Bartender was pretty quiet- I asked a couple questions, he was pretty direct with his answers about the drinks- nothing more, nothing less. My brother ordered the pork and shrimp dumplings. Immediately after tasting the first bite, he ordered another plate- they were that good! Do yourself a favor and get two plates! Perfect heart/seasoning/comfort! read more

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Ramen shop is one of a kind! And everything there is amazing! Ok let's start with the drinks and apps: My buddies and I got the toki-high balls tk drink, pickled plate, fried cauliflower, and Caesar salad. Everything was so tasty and farm-delicate served beautifully and presentation was 10/10 along with the intricate workings of the taste from fork to palette. Hands down the best fried cauliflower I've ever had. They have a magic way of doing this! Veggie Ramen bowl: So many good things... let's break it down; -The noodles are made in small batches by hand daily In house. -fresh farm to table veggies and delish display/set-up in bowl, along with the broth. -So many beautiful flavors including the broth that is technically a veggie shoyu. You can choose to get it with out without a half of an egg. Dessert: Just a nugget or taste of the Sesame ice cream sand-which is all you need!! it's that good. House made cookies and the ice cream is blended and made so well, yet smooth and satisfying. Not too salty, not too sweet. The sesame and unique ingredient mixtures really bring it to life. Waiter/waitress/owner: A fine human presentation of Classy, hip, sophisticated and perform the art of customer care to their clients whom dine in or Out, along with menu expertise. I found the whole experience very satisfyingly beautiful and now have full understanding from head to tongue of why these guys have a Michelin Star! I left full and happy! Shout out to @dailymehds for showing me this Gem... read more

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I had the meyer lemon ramen, it was delicious. I was skeptical of the sweetness of meyer lemons, paired with a soy sauce based broth, but it was so so good. Service was attentive, we waited 10 minutes at the bar to be seated. I had a mocktail, under the cherry moon, which I highly recommend. The cranberry was candied and very good. I think the ambiance is dark and moody. It did get a little loud & overstimulating, but I think it was just extra busy on a Monday night. read more

G.O.A.T.ed. Candlelit gem. Expect great vibes, friendly crew, bomb food. I always get the dumplings. The specials are amazing. Can't say enough good things about it. read more

Ramen Shop - scallops - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

Been here a couple times an both good experiences. It's right on College ave so street parking is tough (there's a parking garage right around the corner on Birch though that's a lifesaver) Weekday evenings are busy but not insane. We didn't have a reservation but they were able to sit the two of us at the ramen bar right away where you get to watch the kitchen action up close. Got the veggie ramen which had Meyer lemon and a few other things I can't remember, but the broth was a tad salty. Very savory and everything was cooked perfectly. read more

Ramen Shop - Veggie Ramen - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

I came here for dinner on a Saturday night around 8pm with my boyfriend. I always pass by this place and have always wanted to try! We were seated quickly at the bar and service throughout the night was a little slow. It took awhile to get water and to place our orders. The interior has a cool, urban, lively vibe. We both got different types of ramen. I got the Hokkaido miso ramen and my boyfriend got the chicken shoyu ramen. My miso ramen tasted more similar to a salty French onion soup than a miso ramen. I think this place is a supposed to be a ramen shop with Californian influences but both of these aspects did not work together in this case and both were done poorly. When my bowl of ramen appeared I was shocked because for dinner this ramen only came with 1 slice of pork and half an egg. I thought this was outrageous considering the price was $25.5 pre tax for this bowl. In general, the gooey creamy ramen egg is my favorite and I was left looking for where the other half of the egg went! For the other half of the egg it'll cost $3 as an add on... please stop holding the other half of the egg hostage with these outrageous prices!! The noodles were cooked perfectly and they were wasted on this ramen broth. I also tried my boyfriends ramen to see if maybe mine was just a fluke but sadly his was also not that good. The chicken was moist but it tasted like Costco rotisserie chicken. The chicken was supposed to taste like ginger and scallion according to the menu but it just tasted like salt. According to the menu there were supposed to be jalapeños but there was no kick or taste of jalapeño present. I liked his broth better and the butternut squash was a nice touch. Overall, this place was ok but the prices are not worth it. The quality and taste of the food is not reflective of the expensive prices. read more

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Ramen Shop is a lovely and ambient restaurant with unique dishes perfect for solo diners, duos, and small groups alike! I also love the concept of having daily menus with seasonal dishes -- the ingredients feel fresher and each trip feels like a unique experience. Pricy, but definitely worth a trip to try some unique offerings. Heirloom Tomatoes - 5/5 stars! This is such a refreshing dish. I don't normally find myself eating whole tomato slices for fun, but the ones served at Ramen Shop are flavorful and umami from the anchovy and nước chấm. The fried shallots (?) that came with the dish also made each bite so satisfying. Tempura Maitake Mushrooms and Okra - Comes with this savory mayo sauce for dipping. This is superb if you're looking for something crunchy as an appetizer but might be a bit oily and overpowering if you're pairing this with a similarly heavy ramen. Hokkaido Miso Ramen - Comes with some roasted red pepper (sweeter than spicy), corn, shredded red cabbage, and a ramen egg. The ramen noodles were truly the highlight of the dish. The broth was so flavorful and thick and surprisingly tasted a little like tomato. The shredded red cabbage was also an interesting touch and added some nice crunch to each bite. Pricy and heavy, so it's worthwhile to share with a friend. I also got the Mt. Tamalpais tea, which had a wonderfully nutty barley flavor. Indoor and outdoor seating are both available. We had no problem getting a walk-in table at around 5:30 on a Saturday, but consider making a reservation online if you plan to come during peak hours or with a larger group! read more

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Don't forget to make a reservation in advance through Resy! This place is popular especially on weekends. We didn't make a reservation so we were seated outside. The outside patio was still pleasant and nicely warmed but the inside looked much cooler. The ramen was quite interesting - the noodles tasted more grainy than chewy and the broth didn't taste like a conventional ramen dish to me. I ordered the veggie ramen with meyer lemon shoyu broth (only vegetarian option) - I was expecting something more Japanese, but it tasted almost like a fusion dish. It was still good, just not what I was expecting. I think for the price the dish ($25), it did not exceed expectations. Service was great and it has nice vibes for a first date or casual dinner. read more

Ramen Shop - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

This spot was everything and more, great ambience, food was on and services was spot on. So we got the dumplings (never new I like dumplings, I liked theirs), the pork and duck fried rice (FIRE) and their tradition pork ramen (FIRE as well) and of course some Hella Strong Saki. If your like me and have slept on the spot for years then you should awaken and come get some of this good food. Owe also the music was on point too. A+ for me Brotha S Approved read more

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Ramen shop is one my favorite local ramen shop. I've taken friends here and find it a nice catch up spot that always leaves me with a positive experience. Food is pricey but the noodles are made in small batches by hand daily in house. You can sit at the counter and watch them make everything which is neat! I have tried the traditional shoyu ramen, veggie meyer lemon shoyu ramen, and the pork & duck fried rice. My favorite is probably the traditional shoyu ramen but all have such great flavor, fresh farm to table veggies and filling. They have an amazing sake called Den Sake Batch #17 from the first sake brewery in Oakland. I always get this- it is light, refreshing, and has a clean finish. Service is friendly and attentive. I never feel rushed when I am there. read more

Hadn't been in several years and not as good as I remembered or as other ramen places nearby. OK food but not worth the money. Tempura was so so. Nice noodles, delicious mushrooms, hardly any chicken, in a decent broth is overpriced. Add the tip and 2% for health insurance for staff (which I applaud) and it was a pricey and disappointing meal without one memorable bite. Sitting at the ramen bar was the best part. I'd give the food three stars but the prices bring the review down to two stars. read more

Very very solid. Wasn't surprised because Berkeley always has food food. Just another good place to add to the list. But let's start with the basics. Parking was a little tricky. It's a pretty busy area and I didn't see any immediate parking garages when we rolled up so just keep that in mind. I'm very old fashioned in some ways. When it comes to ramen I just like a good traditional Tonkotsu broth and that's what I got. Broth was very much what I was expecting. Rich, warm and just enough flavor. Now it didn't blow me away which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It was my first time coming here after all but still was very good. To add icing to the cake the decor feels very traditional. It definitely feels like you are taking a step into Japan. Service was great too. The place was very clean. I definitely would come back. I think next time if I see the Tantanmen I might try that because I tasted my friends broth and it was fire... read more

Ramen Shop - Menu - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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We didn't expect it was best to do a reservation on a Thursday night. Last night vibe was awesome. We had to wait 30 mins to get seated and unfortunately after ordering, they took about 40 mins to bring our food out. We ordered dumplings which is totally recommended (mild). They only had three choices of ramen and we ordered the spicy and the usual. The only thing we didn't order from the ramen choices was the vegetarian. We loved the ramen. We just wished they more choices. The fried rice we got was soooo good and totally recommended to try (the pic I took was blurry). They don't have a lot in their menu which is different from what you see in Yelp/online search. Parking in College Ave is always a challenge. read more

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