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    Santouka Back Bay

    4.1 (852 reviews)
    ModerateRamen, Soup, Noodles
    Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    About Santouka Back Bay

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    SANTOUKA BACK BAY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Santouka Back Bay

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    ..(R) Karamiso
    Dominique W.

    As someone visiting Boston from Southern California, I was surprised to come across Santouka here! Back home, Santouka is located inside a Japanese marketplace, so seeing the restaurant with its own storefront was an unexpected treat. Since we already knew the food would be good, we decided to stop in for a quick bite. We ordered our usual, the Karamiso, and it was delicious as always. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but we were lucky enough to get seated right away. By the time we left, there was a line forming outside. Overall, it's a solid ramen spot. I wish they offered extra noodles, but that's not a dealbreaker.

    ..(R) Karamiso
    Vivian Y.

    Enjoyed the karamiso ramen. The flavor of the broth was good - rich and spicy but not overwhelming. The noodles were chewy and bouncy as well. I added an extra ajitama egg and that was super yummy!

    Rocker 1.

    Ate dinner here - very good. The ramen was excellent, the salad, the chicken, seating, parking and no alcohol was not so good. I wish they would let one bring one's own wine. The service was also ok. Easy 5 star for food, but all the other items make it not the excellent experience. Would go back. Still gave them 5 stars because they really tried.

    Kelly D.

    Really good ramen with handmade noodles and charsu. The broth is flavorful and yummy and will definitely keep you warm and full after eating. The place itself is tiny, keep that in mind when visiting. You will most likely be sharing a table with random customers so be open minded.

    Eva G.

    Oh my deliciousness!!! I've passed by this place for years while visiting BOS ! I noticed that there was a line outside to dine. The foodie gods must've sent me over cause I actually waited in line Today was a bit cold and a good day for ramen! Waited for about 15ish minutes.... a spot opened up for us and we were ready to order!!!! My friend ordered the TONKOTSU CHA-SHU RAMEN Flavor choice: Shio Cha-shu Ramen comes with 5 pieces of Cha-shu (Braised pork belly). I ordered the VEGETARIAN RAMEN Soy based vegan broth with menma, kikurage mushrooms, soy sauce marinated fu (wheat gluten) and umeboshi. We both added to our ramen... AJI-TAMA* Marinated soft boiled egg. I added ... GREEN SALAD Fresh mixed greens served with original salad dressing. and SHIYAKE IKURA GOHAN Rice bowl topped with grilled salmon & salmon roe. Service was fast and friendly. You can order your ramen size bowl in small, medium and large. We both chose medium size. It was plenty! I ate my leftovers for dinner! I definitely recommend this place. The food is flavorful and delicious, service is fast and food portion for the price is great!

    ..(R) Neginanban
    Simone P.

    Love this place. The line moves very fast so don't be intimidated. Surprisingly still so good even in the summer heat. I usually get spicy miso but Thai time I tried the Neto Nambam which was spicy but definitely doable if you enjoy spicy things. It was so good and fresh but hard to explain the flavor. Definitely recommend! For sure top 3 ramen in Boston if not higher! The regular is a very healthy portion and honestly I should probably order small to not feel so stuffed.

    Spicy ramen w/pork belly
    D C.

    Stopped here after a day at the Cape. Fast service, sat outside enjoying the night. I got a medium with pork cheek and chili strings, nephew got a large with pork cheek chili and everything else. So damn good!! Come every year for past 3 and so worth it. Yum

    Exterior
    Eric B.

    This was a really delicious ramen experience in Boston! Be aware, though, that the interior is very small and cramped. You will very likely be sitting shoulder to shoulder with other diners. Service was very attentive and friendly. I had the large chasu ramen (you can choose from several sizes) which came with a choice of several smaller plates (I went with chasu rice). Everything was delicious!! The broth was flavorful, and the noodles were perfect. The pork was tender, and the small side of rice was delicious and not overly salty. I recommend Santouka for ramen in Boston!

    Lizzy M.

    The food here was amazing and very well seasoned, the black garlic ramen is very yummy - as were the soy eggs and edamame. Service was nice and didn't repeatedly check in (personal preference) other than to bring water refills and food. I will say this place is definitely small and there's limited seating (YOU WILL LIKELY BE SEATED AT A TABLE SET FOR 6-8 WITH OTHER STRANGERS AT THE SAME TABLE IN THE SEAT NEXT TO YOU) so if that is not your thing, you have been warned! Making so much soup can make it a little hot to sit inside so if you're thinking to call ahead, try to get seats outside at their tables. Very clean establishment, very kind personnel. I loved.

    Black garlic ramen
    Ashley H.

    This restaurant is really small - fits about 18-20 people. The tables are also really close so in a table of 6, you can be sitting REALLY close to strangers eating. We got seats at the counter top so it felt better for personal space. Because it fits so little, there seems to be a wait outside all the time. However, the line does move fairly ok. On a Sunday night around 6:30PM, the wait was about 15 minutes. Service was friendly and quick. We ordered the miso ramen and the black garlic ramen. Both were delicious - broths were rich and full of flavor. The noodles had the perfect texture and the chasu were tasty. I do wish the chasu were more charred but nonetheless it still tastes really good. The bowls of ramen could be ordered in small, medium or large - I ordered the medium which was just right for dinner, and added a marinated egg but could've done without it.

    Lived in Japan for a while and this ramen is on par with all the ramen I ate there. It's a small place so there may be a line. But the hustle there!

    Black garlic mazemen
    Lena L.

    My favorite ramen spot in North America! I've been going to santouka in Vancouver since high school and super excited that they expanded to Boston. My go to is the shio toro niku. It's made with pork cheek and it's so tender it almost melts in your mouth. I also like how you can order a small for $1 less, since I always end up too full with normal portions. Second favorite is the Negi Namban, which is their spiciest shio while the broth remains light. They come out with special items like the one I had today which is black garlic mazemen. It's served room temp and topped with shallot crisps making it a great dish for a hot summer day. There's usually a line out the door but service and turnaround is quick. Do prepare to share a table!

    Shio ramen and Kara Miso ramen
    Jennifer H.

    Santouka really hits the spot when you're craving ramen, but dare I say that the California locations taste better? This location in Back Bay is very tiny, and though hot ramen on a cold day is winning combo, I don't know if it's worth the wait outside. Thankfully, I stopped by right when it opened on a weekday and was seated promptly with no wait. The Tonkotsu Kara Miso Ramen has a great punch of spice, with a nice creamy broth from the miso and pork bones. I'm always a big fan of the menma (bamboo shoots) and wood ear mushroom toppings that give the meal a great crunch. This is the type of place I would wait no more than 25 minutes for in bearable weather if I was in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip out for it. Still delicious!

    ..(R) Mazemen ..(R) Toroniku Shio

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    Santouka Back Bay Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Santouka Back Bay

    Any vegetarian options I didn't see any on there website?

    Can you get ramen to go?

    Yes & they also partner with delivery apps for delivery

    Do they have bubble tea?

    No.

    Do they have take out menu?

    Yes- they seemed to be actively doing lots of takeout when I was there!

    Easy parking access?

    It's downtown so there's not too much parking nearby.

    Do they offer chicken or beef ramen?

    Nope but they do have a veggie ramen

    Is it paid by credit card?

    Yes. They take cash or card.

    What's the wait time like for a Saturday night?

    30'

    Do they have a vegetarian broth?

    They do, however the noodles are made with egg if you're looking for vegan.

    Does this location offer gluten-free noodles?

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.3(305 reviews)
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    After a day in the cool wind, all I wanted was something hot and soupy. This ramen was perfect; one…read morebowl made my stomach feel much better. Shiro: The most classic tonkotsu ramen. The broth was rich and flavorful, the fat fragrant but not greasy; the noodles were thin and straight, firm and chewy; the wakame seaweed is crisp and refreshing, adding to the umami flavor, and the fresh green onions are just right in terms of crispness and aroma. As a Hakata ramen, everything is perfect. But for me, it would be even better if the chashu were a bit thicker and fattier. They only accept cash, and the space is cramped, which is a bit inconvenient. But it's still worth eating alone.

    I got the spicy miso ramen while my friend got the tonton. Both of us really enjoyed our orders, &…read morethere was nothing wrong with the service. However, I have to warn future customers to not bring any valuables that can absorb odors. :') I had a large plastic tote with a Coach purse & Sony headphones inside. Both were inside the tote the entire time we ate. It's been 3 days & I still can't get the smell of onion/garlic out of my headphones. The smell mostly faded from my tote & my purse after being hung outside with baking soda packets for a few days, but I think my headphones are a lost cause. I took off the ear pads, washed them, & wiped down the rest of the headphones as thoroughly as possible, but the fragrance persists. I only got the smell out of my clothes by doing an extra wash with vinegar. To be clear, I didn't spill broth on my belongings or anything -- the air in the restaurant just smells so strongly of onion/garlic that it seeps into your things. The food is great. Enjoy the food. But don't bring anything expensive or anything you love to this place. & don't plan on going anywhere else afterwards. Don't repeat my mistakes. :')

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    4.4(955 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Chinatown
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    Casual, popular, and bustling Japanese spot in Chinatown. Very tight for space and limited seating…read moregiven it is a basement spot in one of the Chinatown complexes! And it is popular for a good reason. Service is quick, I'm sure they are trying to get people in and out. Very fresh kaisendon (fish bowls) with delicately cut, plump fish. A friend and I got the salmon and tuna don, which were appropriately priced under $20 if I remember correctly. Lots of different cuts of salmon and tuna, which were all covering fluffy white rice, and served with a side of miso soup and Japanese radish/pickled vegetable. If you were to compare this place with other casual Japanese spots serving sushi or sashimi, there is an easily discernable difference in quality. You can tell by the texture and appearance of the fish in your bowl! This is a classic in Chinatown for a reason, and I will never say no to a kaisendon from Tora.

    I came here on my last trip to Boston and liked it so much that I knew I had to come back again!…read more Tora Japanese is located in Chinatown--in the basement area of one of the buildings, so seating is pretty limited. I came for lunch with two friends, and they didn't have a table for three, but the hostess was able to quickly accommodate us by rearranging another party that just sat down, and we were able to get some seats at the bar. Service was really fast and friendly throughout our dining experience. I ordered the sake don from the lunch menu, which came with a good-sized portion of rice topped with salmon sashimi and a side of miso soup. Definitely a great spot for a quick and affordable lunch in Chinatown!

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    Somenya - Soba restaurant - Cold spicy beef soba

    Somenya - Soba restaurant

    4.4(202 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Chinatown
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    This charming little restaurant a few steps down from the sidewalk is a lovely addition to the…read morerestaurant choices in the neighborhood. The decor is bright and cheerful and the room (and restrooms) sparkling clean. The service is quick, gracious and calm. And the food is delicious! I don't care to eat meat, so it was wonderful to have several selections of vegan and pescatarian dishes to choose from. My husband and I enjoyed the soups we chose and want to come back to try the cold noodle dishes.

    Nothing beats a place where they have 12-year-old Asian kids from working. The service here can…read morerange from slow to normal considering that the place itself is not very big. The restaurant focuses mostly on soba or udon noodle dishes with a good selection between hot and cold options. It's not going to be the best udon or soba you've ever had. HOWEVER, I tried the cold ikura & uni cold soba and LOVED it. It's seasonal, so I tried that one out and was extremely surprised about how much I enjoyed the bowl. Not too much soup and the uni didn't completely obliterate when I stirred it up. They do use American wasabi though, and I found it superfluous to the dish and wished it was served on the side. But regardless, despite not having some extremely high quality noodles, the flavor and experience of the bowl itself was super pleasant. I ended up coming back the very next day because I wanted to try their clam soba. The clam soba only comes hot, which is a bit unfortunately because I actually think a cold clam soba with some lemon or yuzu would be phenomenol. I've been seeing recipes for it online so I've been wanting to try it, but their clam soba is a lot more standard and hot. They had a very good amount of clams in it, but I generally like their cold soba better. Still good, but didn't give me that feeling of needing to come back the very next day like I did with the ikura-uni combo. Overall, I'd still come back when I'm in downtown!

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    4.1(41 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Chinatown

    I'm slightly obsessed…read more Randomly ran into this place in a desperate late night hunt for noodles and since then have been there five times. Every time I'm like "where should I go in downtown" I just get stuck on this place like it's worn a groove in my brain. Like one of RFK's brain worms. It's a little confusing to order but basically you pick a soup, pick a spicy level (burn your face or burn your colon) and then add an absurd amount of toppings. Then they deliver a bowl the size of your head (or my head, I have a big head) and you kind of reconsider your life decisions. I like this over the other hot pot tech because my two greatest weaknesses are cooking and choosing. At least this takes out one of those. High marks to the sour cabbage broth - the slight vinegary tang is actually magic. Brain worm inducing magic. But don't go here. Because it's small and I want to make sure I have a seat.

    The food here is not bad. The beef broth with the peanut sauce is my favorite. The flavor isn't the…read morebest I've had in Boston. I think the best part of this place is the price and portion size. They are very generous with their food, but some of the pieces of tofu or vegetables are cut very haphazardly. The service was regular nothing really stood out. You can definitely find better in Allston. For Chinatown, it isn't bad for a filling and cheaper meal.

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    Kaze Shabu Shabu - Shabu and fried intestine

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    3.8(650 reviews)
    1.2 mi•Chinatown
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    was craving hotpot after a long day while visiting boston from out of town -- came in with a group…read moreof five and three on the way, and got seated pretty much immediately. service was wonderful -- the woman serving us was super accommodating and answered all our questions, and the food came out in a timely manner. for our side of the table, we ordered a split pot with the pork bone and the cilantro broths. both were delicious; we were halfway done just drinking soup before the meat and vegetables came. meat portions were generous and quality was good, plus the vegetable offerings seemed fresh and plentiful. we also ordered a few appetizers: spicy fries, shrimp pancake, and crispy pork jowl -- all lived up to and even exceeded expectations. was a great experience all around to end the day off, and prices were affordable for the group.

    The food itself and the hotpot experience was pretty good! The pork bone broth and the Japanese…read morecurry were both very good. The cuts of meat were on the thicker side (especially the pork belly). Also, the "one person" servings are pretty big and felt more like two people's servings in my opinion. For a group of 7 we definitely ate our money's worth. The only downside was that the service wasn't great. When we were seated, we were given menus but no one explained to us how to use it. We were sitting there for a while trying to figure it out until we finally waved someone over for help. We had to ask how to do the sauces too.

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    Santouka Back Bay - ramen - Updated October 2026

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