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    Santa Ramen

    3.6 (2.6k reviews)
    ModerateRamen, Noodles
    Closed Closed

    Order Santa Ramen Takeout or Delivery

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    SANTA RAMEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Santa Ramen

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    Ziling M.

    I'd heard good things about this place from friends. I wouldn't say it's a must-try, but it definitely isn't bad either, overall, I'd call it decent. The flavors were solid, and the noodles were cooked perfectly. One funny thing was that this was the first ramen spot I've been to that served a hard-boiled egg, which felt a little unusual, but I guess it's a new twist worth trying. All in all, it's a reliable spot if you're in the mood for ramen.

    Fried Gyoza
    Lexine F.

    I love santa ramen so much! I haven't been in a while since we moved farther away from San Mateo. But we used to go all the time and it was our favorite ramen spot. We try to make the trip down often. The gyoza and santa ramen are always my go to on the menu. The gyoza is fried to perfection. The santa ramen with miso broth is my favorite of all time. The broth is so rich and creamy. The staff is always so friendly and attentive! The place itself is definitely a big place with moderate seating.

    Chicken Karage
    Supar K.

    The Tonkotsu Ramen is rich and flavorful, with a deeply satisfying pork broth that's silky and hearty. The Chicken Karaage is a crispy, golden delight. The outer coating is wonderfully crunchy, while the inside is juicy and tender. The atmosphere at Santa Ramen is cozy and inviting. The restaurant has a modern yet comfortable vibe The staff is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. Santa Ramen is an excellent spot for those craving rich, flavorful ramen and crisp, tender fried dishes. The combination of great food, inviting ambiance, and attentive service makes it a must-visit for ramen lovers.

    Erick T.

    The ramen here is solid. Probably in the top 5 on the peninsula. The broth is super rich and creamy and packed with umami. The noodles are firm and al dente, just slightly undercooked. The pork belly is meaty and flavorful. Our biggest complaint is that the last couple times we've come here, the kitchen was suuuuper slow. The food took forever to come. In our most recent visit, we waited nearly an hour for our food to arrive. This seems pretty ridiculous. One of the staff is incredible - super warm and attentive. The other staff seem like they'd rather be somewhere else.

    santa ramen - garlic pork flavor
    Liv V.

    -santa ramen garlic pork (mild spicy) we visited on a weekend in the afternoon and the wait time wasn't too busy. the service was pretty fast and efficient. ramen broth was rich and flavorful, but the broth was a bit saltier than the previous times we've had it.

    Dynamite ramen
    Nicholas W.

    A well earned four stars. Good price, good taste, pretty quick service. This place has been around forever, I'm glad I finally bothered to try it. The egg wasn't very good and the portion could have been slightly better but it's not like it was skimpy. I'll be back to try more menu items. Don't get this "dynamite ramen" option if your stomach is a bit off. It was yummy but I should not have gone with something so spicy with my stomach not in totally prime condition

    Softshell crab ramen. Crab was great, no heat to the broth when ordered medium spicy
    Mandi F.

    The OG ramen spot I finally made it to lol. Better late than never? Anywho, showed up at 530 on a Saturday, 20 minutes later every table is filled with a line out the door. We ordered the karaage (4-piece) appetizer. You can choose from 2, 4, or 6 pieces. I love the options. The pieces are huge so def could've gone with the 2 piece... Especially since we ordered two additional appetizers on top of this. It was perfectly cooked though. Great crunch to the skin. Not greasy. The fried oysters were yummy too but the breading was a tad thick for my preference. I don't know why I keep ordering the takoyaki though. It was perfectly cooked, had good flavor, but I just hate how saucy they are and their lack of textures. Anyways, nothing wrong done on their end I just keep ordering it when I don't like it that much. I think I keep hoping I will tho. As for the ramen, both got the garlic soy broth, I got the softshell crab, husband got the pork belly. Perfectly cooked proteins but no spice to either dish. He got mild and I got medium. Nada heat. Sad. Otherwise noodles were perfectly cooked but their egg was hard boiled - which it's advertised as such- but I'm a soft boiled fan.

    Red Hot Hit ... LOVE
    LuLu D.

    Came here with the family of four, and wow -- it did not disappoint! It's been a while since our last visit, but the ramen is still as amazing as we remembered. The broth is deep, rich, and full of flavor, and that spice? Total killer (in the best way). Every slurp was pure happiness

    The Dynamite
    Ricky S.

    This place is a very cozy place to have fresh ramen on a cold rainy day or any other kind of day. The Dynamite Ramen was so so good. The spices did not over power the flavor of the garlic pork broth that we had at all. The Softshell Crab Ramen was another good one that I would go back for. The service was very attentive and great to see servers that smiles when they are talking to you. Overall very very good

    Kellie L.

    I loooove Santa Ramen. I was looking for spicy and hearty, and I had the Dynamite Ramen with Garlic Pork broth. It sure hit the spot!!! The spice was exactly what I looking for -- flavorful, well-integrated, and has a satisfying kick. Sometimes spicy ramen is just a disappointing chili oil weakly dripped on top, but this was super satisfying. I came alone 5 min before opening time on a Saturday Night and I was seated and served within 12 min. The staff is super friendly. It's a comfortable family restaurant vibe with a homey and Japanese inspired aesthetic. The restroom is clean too (which matters to me a lot). Santa Ramen stays in my Top 5 Ramen places of all time for consistent deliciousness!

    Santa ramen with yokohama (miso + pork) broth
    Natalie L.

    Santa Ramen certainly has a lot of competition in San Mateo, but I found their Yokohama-style ramen to be nice and comforting. Their Yokohama broth wasn't overly salty and didn't go insane on the miso flavor. Nice balance! I also appreciated how many toppings they give you; normally, things like spinach and corn tend to be add-ons for extra cost. While egg wasn't boiled to the point where the yolk stayed jammy, I still enjoyed it since the yolk was still fairly soft. And the pork! It practically melted in my mouth. Staff were very nice and gave us our check right a few moments after we finished. I'd definitely come here again. :)

    Jeymmie P.

    This place was just okay. It's not what it used to be. I remember when this place used to have a line out the door but we were able to get seated quickly on a Friday evening. I ordered the garlic pork broth and it lacked flavor. The karaage was delicious and crispy. The egg is just a regular hard boiled egg. Soft shell crab also lacked flavor.

    Softshell crab with grilled  pork Ramen in Tokyo soy style

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    Taishoken - San Mateo - Tokusei Tsukemen, the house special

    Taishoken - San Mateo

    4.3(2.1k reviews)
    1.2 mi
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    Vegetarian friendly
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    My go-to spot when I'm craving ramen. I like the niku spicy when I want soup and the Tokyo classic…read moreaburasoba when I want soupless. (I want no soup 95% of the time.) I've tried the tsukemen, and it's not for me. The broth has a fishy flavor that I do not enjoy. For apps, we have consistently ordered the karaage and calamari. On occasion, the calamari can be a bit tough, but it comes with a lot of seasonings/toppings that take it over the top. Really kid friendly - they have boosters for booth seats AND high chairs, plus special utensils for kids and just started serving water also in special plastic cups.

    As everyone said in their reviews - this place is known for their tsukemen or dipping noodles. We…read morecame here because their dipping noodles is one of the family favorites and it was enjoyed. We also ordered a bowl of pork over rice which was shared by everyone in our party of 6 and enjoyed. They have a happy hour where several appetizers are discounted a few bucks so we ordered the gyoza (potsickers 3 for $4). The key to eating here for dinner without waiting is to get there before the crowd which is before 6pm. After that there's most likely a wait outside the restaurant. There are plenty of shops for you to window shop while you wait. Note they do charge 20% automatically with 6 or more in your group.

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    Kajiken - Homura Aburasoba

    Kajiken

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    1.4 mi
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    I've come 4 times now and it still hits every single time. Almost always a line, but it moves…read moreextremely quickly. Service is good, interior is well-lit and clean, and the food is just amazing. Make sure you get the hot tea as well! Noodles are so fresh and perfectly cooked. FOOD: Wagyu Roast Beef Aburasoba (9/10) - My personal favorite! The roast beef is extremely tender, and the yogurt sauce pairs perfectly with her. Pro-tip, add a little bit of vinegar - tastes even better Nikumori Aburasoba (9/10) - Slightly spicy with a ton of pork inside. The sauce coats the noodles perfectly - amazing!

    I was in San Mateo, and I was hungry. I checked Yelp and Google, and there were so many places to…read morechoose from, I didn't know what to pick. I checked Michelin, and it help me narrow it down to Kajiken. As I walked to Kajiken, I knew I was getting close because it was the only place that had a line-up outside. There were probably 12-14 people waiting, and I wondering if I should find another place because I didn't want to wait. Fortunately, as a single diner, they sat me right away. I ended up ordering the Original Aburasoba and it came in about 5 minutes. It was good. Great texture, good flavours, and a reasonable serving size. Service was fine but minimal. Dining area is typical of modern ramen places. Overall, a nice quick meal. Maybe closer to a 3.5 or 3.75 as it was good, but I was also very hungry. I would consider returning.

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    Ramen Parlor

    Ramen Parlor

    3.8(2.1k reviews)
    1.0 mi
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    Been going to this place for years. Always a solid place for ramen even among the explosion of…read moreother ramen spots in the Bay Area. Staff is the same and always super nice and food was out quickly. Got the lobster garlic pork ramen and the broth was rich and flavorful. Noodles had a nice bounce and chew. Quail eggs are a nice change. Chicken karaage was nice and crunchy but lacked flavor even with the sauce. However, good portion size with six large pieces. Overall: 3.9/5

    Ramen Parlor's parking lot is a bit limited but there's plenty of street parking. Their service was…read morequick and the staff members were extremely polite and kind. It's a great place for families, date nights or just a hang out! What was ordered: + chicken karaage - fried well as it was very crispy and hot when it arrived at our table. I enjoyed the texture of the chicken but was a little put off by the sauce on the bottom, which made parts of the chicken soggy. + takoyaki - the flavor is perfect for me but I felt it wasn't crispy enough on the outside and had a bit too much sauce on top. I'd still order this again but would probably ask for less sauce next time. + spicy crab miso ramen - highly recommend this dish! You get the option of how spicy you want your broth (I went with mild) and it was perfect for me. It had a kick of spiciness but the broth was rich and creamy with some garlic flavors. The broth stayed hot throughout my meal and the noodles were cooked perfectly.

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    Entrance table with drink options and menu

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    Hanabi Ramen & Japanese Curry

    Hanabi Ramen & Japanese Curry

    4.2(1k reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$

    We've been to Hanabi many times, when they were a fledging ramen place we'd go there because…read moregrowing son (now in mid 20s) just loved the slurp and after baseball was the perfect meal. Fast forward, it's Mom's Day, kids having meals on their own as parents, our celebration is to go somewhere good to have a meal, no lines (didn't make a res), kinda spontaneous. Hanabi fits the bill. Ordered the pork belly ramen ( looked really good at a neighboring table) and the Mayu-ramen, spicy, with kfc chicken (not what you think, means something else), both with a miso base. Wait was reasonable, time to get a table was 30 seconds tops. Other nights it's been jammed but not Mom's Day, just quiet, enjoyable. Both meals were spectacularly reasonable, serving what you'd want, with enough of everything to want to dive in because you were pretty assured you were going to be satisfied. Not fru-fru or bougie, ingredients that make the dish memorable yet feel you are knowledgeable and appreciated. Pork belly was soft, fatty yet lean, cooked well enough to be tender, yet with a little chew (not disintegrating like some bellies), lots of noodles al dente so you appreciate the noodle was not a mushy mass in the bowl like some places. The Mayu came with 3 drumsticks burning hot from the fryer but oh so good because it's served in a separate dish so it doesn't get soggy. The spicy is good enough to keep things interesting with losing its identity (unlike a lot of places). And they give plenty of ramen because it's that good. We keep coming back because they serve no-frills, you-can-bank-on-it ramen that is satisfying, consistent; staff is friendly without being overbearing. It's not a big place, tables and a counter, but they know how to keep diners happy and coming back for more. What more can you ask for? Thanks, Hanabi, will definitely be back!

    The lunch sets are are the bomb! Our family has been here several times and we always leave stuffed…read moreand satisfied. I normally order the lunch set with miso ramen. The miso here is like no other I have had anywhere else, deeply rich and flavorful. Very family friendly as well, with mini dons available for the little ones.

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    Restaurant interior, counter pictured

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