Shugetsu is my go-to place for tsukemen - Taishoken is also pretty popular, but Shugetsu is my preference because I like the texture and taste of their noodles more. I used to get one Shugetsu Tsukemen Special on my own, but it's been harder and harder for me to finish one by myself. Now, I order a Shugetsu Tsukemen Special with the mega size, get side orders of the chashu pork and marinated egg, and split with my boyfriend (since the Special already comes with pork and egg for one person, the a la carte orders are enough for a second). The broth is super flavorful, smoky, and roasty. Keep in mind the broth does err on the more oily side for the more health-conscious folks, and I wouldn't wear white, as the broth might splash back as you eat! The restaurant doesn't have a flashy storefront and is rather more hidden in the marketplace it's in. Be cautious about leaving valuables in your car. The inside itself is also not too big, so that on top of its popularity is why there might be a wait. I would also recommend coming earlier than typical meal times. While the hype has definitely died down ever since they opened during Covid, it's still pretty popular so I would be prepared to wait. I highly recommend trying out Shugetsu, and definitely recommend coming hungry because the portions are huge! They recently opened another location in Fremont, so East Bay folks get to try this one out there too. read more

Shugetsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

We came about an hour before lunch hours ended. It was still quite busy, and folks were still funneling in! We had a bar seat, which was neat to watch how things were prepared. We ordered a Shugetsu Tsukemen special and a Shugetsu Ramen. They let you add more noodles at no extra charge. We saw the pork slices getting charcoal(?) grilled in the back! For the tsukemen, I opted for hot noodles. They're a bit clingier when hot, but have a great bite to them. The soup is a little on the sour side, but it was delicious. There's little bits of pork and menma in it, and it clung to the noodles well. Definitely recommend the extra egg and pork! The ramen was equally amazing. The broth was light yet hearty. These noodles also had a satisfying chew to them. read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu ramen. - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Here's the thing, it's very plain and salty tasting to me. That's my opinion and that's how I feel. Yes, I asked for LESS salty. Yes, I did get the large. It's not extra which is probably why this place is so popular. That and the noodles are handmade, but it's so plain tasting that for me I just can't see myself coming back. That and the fried pork was sooooo chewy. I only had one price and I still didn't eat it because it was fried to death and just not edible. read more

Stopped by after work to try tsukemen for the first time. I was recommended to try the large shugestu and i definitely was not disappointed. The portions here are pretty big, and I particularly enjoyed the rich broth with a light smoky flavor. Since we arrived right before a rush, we were able to be seated and served quickly. The restaurant itself is fairly small, with limited seating, so by the end of our meal there was a fairly long line outside. Staff is friendly, and they work efficiently: read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came to Shugetsu on a Thursday evening right at opening for a quick post-activity dinner with the kids. We lucked out with no wait and were seated immediately. The interior has a bit of a "hole-in-the-wall" charm--simple, with mismatched older furniture, but clean and functional. One great feature is the option to upgrade to a large ramen size for the same price as a regular, which is perfect for families like ours who want to split dishes and save a little. Here's what we shared: Shugetsu Ramen (No green onions, Large size) - Classic style with a bold, earthy flavor that stood out. While tasty, the broth might be a bit intense for younger kids. The noodles were cooked perfectly with great texture. Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly Ramen (Large size) - This broth was lighter and clearer than the Shugetsu Ramen. The charcoal flavor from the pork belly was strong, giving the broth a distinct earthy depth. The pork belly was generously portioned and nicely tender with a flavorful char. Deep Fried Chicken Soft Bones - Surprisingly good. The sauce under the chicken helped bring out more flavor in the otherwise subtle batter. It's definitely a dish for more adventurous eaters, but worth trying if you're curious. This is a low-key, satisfying ramen experience with generous portions and unique flavors. It's not flashy, but it hits the spot--especially for a quick and affordable family meal. read more

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The place is located in a plaza so it's easy to find parking. The place is small with limited seating but we didn't have to wait long for dinner on a Friday night. We ordered: - shugetsu tsukemen special: you can choose between regular, large, x-large or mega amount of noodles for the same price. I got the regular and it was plenty of food for me. The noodles are nice and chewy with the perfect thickness. Order came with marinated egg, bamboo shoots, green onions, and 3 pieces of chashu. They're generous to give the whole marinated egg bc some places just give half. The dipping broth was soo flavorful and had meat in it! After you're done with the noodles, they give you extra broth so you can drink the soup. Didn't get to do that since I was already so full. - spicy miso tsukemen special: also got the regular size. Contained the same ingredients as the shugetsu tsukemen but different broth. This broth was also really flavorful with meat, bamboo shoots and green onions. The spice level is a nice kick if you're looking for something spicy! - karaage: chicken was good, not as flavorful but nice crunch. Not much to say about it but it was a good addition to the meal. It came with 3 pieces for $7 or 5 pieces for $10. Overall, a great spot for tsukemen! I came here 2 years ago and had a better impression this time around in terms of flavor. The staff are always friendly and efficient with service. Will definitely come back when I'm craving tsukemen. Maybe will try their ramen in the future but their tsukemen is my go-to! read more

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The place is small and cozy -- not a ton of seating -- but we got lucky and were able to grab seats at the counter with no wait. Sitting at the counter was actually one of the highlights! We got to watch the chef put together each bowl and everything looked clean and well-organized. The service was fast and friendly. I ordered the ramen with soup and asked for less sodium since I usually find ramen a bit too salty -- and it was great but felt a bit oily still! I really appreciated that they offered that option. My partner had the tsukemen and it had a deep smokey flavor. One awesome perk: they offer more noodles at no extra cost, which is a great bonus if you're really hungry. PS: The restaurant is in a plaza so parking was easy. read more

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Came here last nite but was busy so decided to come when they opened this morning. Cute little Japanese ramen spot, feels like you're in Japan. First time here so needed some help with the menu. Grilled pork belly was da bomb. Not too thrilled with the noodles, to me it wasn't ramen noodles, more like thick spaghetti noodles. Server didn't not mentioned any other noodles so I assumed was the traditional ramen noodles. Need to pay more attention on cleanliness of dishes and glassware. Overall it was a nice experience. Worth checking it out. read more

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I must say Tsukemen is BAE but also Shugetsu is a family favorite! My friend recently moved to the area so every time we come visit we ALWAYS visit Shugetsu for their delicious broth and one price for up to a MEGA SIZE! (Except for when you're doing take out- you can only get XL) I know because I've taken it all the way back to Davis! Anyway--if you come during peak time there is always a line but they go by pretty quick, once seated look at the menu quickly and order because they come out super fast! Very family friends and it just has homey vibe with and I have a feeling this is what a ramen place feels like in Japan. I love the chasu pork and definitely add some chicken broth at the end to slurp! Also should try the Shugetsu fried chicken. Can't wait to go back! 20/10!! read more

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Yay for tsukemen!!! Came for dinner on a Tuesday night and it was pretty empty, only two other patrons. The server was super enthusiastic and so friendly. After a look over of the menu, decided on the basic shugetsu tsukemen. The absolute BEST part about this spot: you can choose ANY amount (noodle size) with no price change. Thus you can get 500g of noodles if you're extra extra extra hungry and your wallet doesn't pay the price. That, in my opinion, is such a great thing. Flavor: light and savory dipping broth. Noodles were bouncy and chewy. Was yummy! We also got the spicy bamboo shoots, fried chicken, and the fried soft bones. The tsukemen is definitely the star and I thought these other things were just eh, this the 4 stars. But overall, great food and nice that there was no wait and food came out fast. read more

Shugetsu - menu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came on a Sunday around 11:30 and tables were full so we put ourselves on a virtual waitlist. We were a party of 4 so we only had to wait around 5 minutes. Once we sat down, there was a strange smell. We realized it must have been from what they used to clean the tables. Like a dirty towel smell. My family and I were not able to tolerate it but luckily we had Clorox wipes and wiped our own table and the smell went away. As for the food, it was very good overall. I like how you can change how much noodles you want for no extra cost! (Except for the extra large I believe) Since I don't eat too much, I was able to share a bowl with my sister and we got the large noodles, and it was enough to fill both of us! read more

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I've been for the tsukemen and thought it was good but honestly their ramen is even better! I loved the broth and the thin noodles. The portion size was great as well. I went on a Sunday evening and there was no wait and I was very surprised. The service was quick and easy. Overall will definitely come back and will recommend to plenty of people! read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Ramen and Spicy miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Shugetsu is a hidden gem when it comes to tsukemen ramen. You walk in and are warmly welcomed by the chefs and the servers. The restaurant is very small, having only a couple tables and a bar where you can see the chefs make the ramen. I have only tried the shugetsu tsukemen every time I've dined here, so my review won't be reliable if you're looking to try something else on the menu. For any of the tsukemen, you can choose any size of noodles FOR THE SAME PRICE! The noodles are thick and perfectly chewy, which is able to soak up the salty, umami soup with chunks of pork belly, bamboo shoots, and green onion. The broth and pork belly have a very smoky initial flavor, with strong hints of anchovy and bonito, which compliment well with the bamboo and the noodles. The only disappointing part of the dinner is when you're done with the noodles and they dilute the soup to make it drinkable. They dilute it too much every time, turning the smoky and savory broth into a bland undrinkable "soup". 8.2/10 I will still come back if I'm in San Mateo, but I will ask next time for them to dilute the soup less. read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Honestly, it wasn't bad, but it also wasn't spectacular enough to revisit. The broth for the tsukemen was very salty, and we have asked for it to be less salty when ordering. The noodles were not bouncy and the karaage was heavily vinegar-ed that it was the only flavor that I got. It just didn't live up to the hype. read more

Make sure your party is all there and ready to sit. They mistakenly seated us when our whole party wasn't ready. Then said that it wasn't fair to hold a table while other customers were checking in which made us feel rushed while ordering/eating. Understandable since they are a very small store so if you come in a big party there will be a wait time. Call ahead. Seemed more of an employee error of handling the flow of things in my opinion. Ramen was standard. I got the Miso Ramen. I wished the egg was fresh and not precooked and popped on top. I was not amazed by the flavors or anything. The noodles were also a little tough to chew and also didn't seem like it was warmed up or cooked thoroughly. Chicken Karaage was so juicy and delicious. Now these were fresh. It was still hot after waiting 10 minutes for it to cool down. Recommend getting those for appetizers! The portions are pretty big but can also be customized. Not sure if I'll come back but was in the area and friends wanted Ramen for lunch. read more

Shugetsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

If you're hungry for some tsukemen, this is the place for you! They offer a variety of tsukemen styles, and most unique is the fact that you can choose the amount of noodles from regular all the way to mega large. Would recommend large for a normal portion size. The dipping soup they serve is pretty flavorful and intense in flavour, and pairs well with the noodles. Generally, and food is good, but we've noticed a slight downward trend in quality since it opened. Maybe it was just random chance, but the dipping soup flavours were more monotonous in profile than the first couple of times we tried it. Service was also not as good; they didn't offer to add the soup to the dipping soup after we finished our meals, unlike the first couple of times we went. Hopefully they manage to bring back that stellar service from before! read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Tsukemen with Marinated Egg - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Yay! I finally was able to visit Shugetsj after hearing wonderful things about their dipping ramen. We came on a Thursday for lunch and were seared immediately. I ordered the Spicy Tsukemen Special and it was amazing. First of all, it's the same price regardless of the size. My eyes were bigger than my stomach and I ordered the x-large. They are so sweet and offer additional broth. I love the service and the vibe. I felt like I was in Japan! I also ordered the fried chicken bones! Yum! I definitely recommend coming here. It's legit and makes you feel like you're in Japan! read more

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Stopped by Shugetsu after craving for some noodles with a friend on a weekday for lunch. We were seated fairly quickly, but there was definitely a line after we got our table. Definitely plan ahead! I ordered the Shugetsu tsukemen and my friend ordered the spicy miso Tsukemen. We both enjoyed our dishes and loved the texture of the noodles itself! I will say the dipping broth is on the saltier side, but I know that's the nature of Tsukemen. Visit Shugetsu if you're craving for some dipping ramen! It's a great casual place that'll hit the spot. read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Tsukemen and Spicy Miso Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

The noodles were so chewy and satisfying. Flavorful broth. Huuge chunks of Karage but still tasty all the way. So, why 3 stars? The cleanliness for this place overshadowed the bowls in front of us. The table was wipe, but, It still slippery. The floor was slippery and really grimmy. Everything feels dirty. This may sounds harsh, but, I saw the rag they use to wipe the tables. My husband loves this place. He wants to come back. Sorry hun, you need to bring your other girl! read more

Shugetsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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It was my day off and I wanted to unwind. What better way to unwind than to go grab some noodles, so here I am. I put myself on the yelp waitlist before being seated. The restaurant was busy and it was really small, but the turnover was fast. I was seated in less than 5 minutes. I ordered a large spicy miso tsukemen special with cold noodles. I never tried dipping noodles so I was curious about how this would turn out. The flavor of the broth itself is very intense and smoky which caught me off guard. When paired with the noodles, it was an interesting experience. It was good, but if I had to choose between dipping noodles or a bowl of ramen, I'd go with the ramen. I'd give it a 4 - 4.5/5. Not bad for my first dipping noodle experience but just not my personal preference. The special itself cost $22, however you are allowed to choose between regular, large, xtra large, and mega size for the same price which gives you the bang for your buck. In terms of service, the service here was decent. Nothing out of the ordinary. Try it out if you like. :) read more

Shugetsu - Spicy Miso Tsukemen Special w/xtra egg (cold) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Tsukemen is definitely more rare to see around here than regular ramen, so I was really looking forward to trying this. That being said, I've only tried a small handful of other tsukemen restaurants before. I ordered the Shugetsu Tsukemen Special ($22). One of the best things they have here is that you can choose the size of your noodle portion and go up to Mega (500g) for no extra cost. Definitely don't have to worry about leaving hungry. I ordered only a large and grossly overestimated myself. You can also choose between hot or cold noodles; I opted for hot this time. The broth came hot and full of flavor without being too salty - one of the main issues I've had at other tsukemen restaurants. But the issues I had here at Shugetsu were with the noodles. First, the noodles were all very clumped together. Not sure if it's because I chose the hot option and whether cold noodles would've been better, but it was not easy to pick small portions up to dip into the broth. Then, the texture wasn't quite what I expected and hoped for either. They were thick and slightly firm. I was actually hoping they'd be more chewy and bouncy. Overall, for the amount of food I got, I can't be too mad if it didn't quite live up to the hype in my head. I'd like to try the cold noodle version another time and see if it's better! read more

Shugetsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Warm welcome sets the tone to the rest of the meal. Humble establishment with lots of charming touches including instructions on the tables on how to eat your noodles. The food was amazing. Ordered the spicy bamboo shoots out of curiosity, and they had everything going on, flavor and textures. The chicken was juicy without being greasy. It was served with a bright ginger sauce and lots of green onions. But then the tsukemen came out. They must grill the meat? It took everything to another level. SO GOOD. Easy parking in a strip mall, too. read more

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I've been here a few times now with friends and I feel like I always think this place is just okay to me. I think the staff is great, the food is cooked well, and the ingredients are high quality, but every time I come here, I personally don't feel like my experience was super amazing. I think this is because I don't really like heavy soy sauced based broths and sauces, and this place is ALL about extremely strong soy sauce flavors. Their menu is a bit limited in that regard. I've tried their tsukemen and their abura soba before. I've always found everything here to be very salty. Their flavors also tend to be incredibly smoky which I don't mind for a little bit but it is very very strong and after while I think I just get tired of the flavors. The noodles are chewy and plentiful but I do get tired of eating noodles after awhile, in general. They do give you meat in all the dishes but I've found the meat portions to be a little skimpy, and I finish the meat very quickly. The abura soba did taste nice with extra vinegar. I do find it fun that for the noodles you can generally get any portion size of noodles for the same price, so if you really really love eating a ton of noodles you can do so here without extra costs. This shop is quite small so I don't really recommend it for parties larger than six people. Four or fewer seems ideal. Parking is generally plentiful since this location is in a strip mall with a parking lot. It can get a little busy since there are other businesses including a grocery store but we've always been able to find a spot especially on the side by the Denny's. read more

We got on the waitlist around 7 pm on a saturday and waited around 1.5 hours before we got seated. Definitely plan ahead and put your name down early. The inside is pretty small, which explains the long wait times. Soft chicken bones: 5/5 this was really good if you like chicken cartilage and eating that kind of stuff. The chicken meat inside was really juicy as well and i loved the sauce at the bottom. Spicy Miso Tsukemen: 3/5 honestly i wasn't a huge fan of the broth. it felt very very oily and there wasn't a lot of flavor to the broth itself. it was also at room temperature, which didn't help as it exasperated the oiliness. the noodles themselves were fine (good texture and amount) but i wish they were colder. the topping were pretty good though (the eggs were gummy and had a great umami flavor and the pork belly was charred and delicious) Overall this won't be my preferred tsukemen place but i might come back just for the soft chicken bones. Definitely not worth the 1+ hour wait in my opinion. read more

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11/12/23 Zach and I met up with one of my friends for dinner. Shugetsu was a new ramen place that I had been wanting to try. The restaurant is located in a plaza and there was plenty of parking. We arrived around 7PM. The restaurant itself is not that large, more on the cozier side. When we got there, my friend was already there and sitting at a large table that could fit 5 people. We were pleased to get a large table for the extra space, but the waiter told us that we could only use half of the table because they were planning to put another party next to us....Now that didn't thrill us, but we didn't really have a choice (it was either we take this table and possibly share it with another party or wait longer for a smaller table). What's funny was that even though other customers came in pairs and threes (to which we thought they would be placed at the other side of our table), no one got seated next to us the whole time we were there.... In terms of food, here's what we got: - Large Shugetsu Ramen (Zach) - (Regular) Shugetsu Ramen for myself and my friend Zach wanted to order the fried chicken, but our waiter told us they ran out. Ramens came out in 10 minutes. Broth tasted good initially, and the noodles were more on the thinner side. I personally prefer my ramen noodles a little more on the thicker side. Mid-way through the meal, I noticed that my watercup was empty because I had been drinking so much water since the ramen is pretty salty. Our waiter took his time to refill our watercups and we only saw him again when we were paying the bill. My expectations of Shugetsu Ramen was pretty high, but after that night, it was a mediocre experience and not someplace I plan on returning to. read more

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Smoky tsukemen that is worth it for big stomach! I came after a work day, arrived at the shop around 6pm where we were seated right when we arrived. There were multiple tables filled with family members when we went. From observation, there was one worker on the floor helping all tables with 3 people in the back cooking. The reason why I said it's good for those who have big stomach is that you can order the same bowl of dipping noodles with different size noodles ranging from regular (200g) to mega (500g). The tsukemen broth was very smoky, something that is not for all. I personally like my broth creamier but I didn't mind this one. Their meat was very tasty and fit well with the noodles. read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu tsukemen regular (200g) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Location: Inside a plaza. They closed off a majority of the parking lot for construction when I went. Ambiance: Intimate space but didn't feel like we jammed in there. It's on the smaller side though. There's bar seating as well. Service: We came on a Friday for lunch and while our server was friendly, she was only there to take our order, deliver it, and give us the bill when we managed to flag her down. The restaurant wasn't busy, but it was hard to get a refill for our waters. Food: Man, I got to stop listening to food influencers. Their Hong Kong location is on the michelin guide too! Listen, it's awesome that they don't charge extra for the larger noodle sizes, but you can't just eat the noodles. The "smoke" flavor that everyone talks about tastes like straight up butane. It's not great. The noodles were pretty good. You can get them cold or hot. We got both, but I suggest getting them cold. Skip the miso, get the spicy miso or the shugetsu. It's a cool spot to try, but I would not come back. read more

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Sigh, this was disappointing... I love a good noodle moment and this was just not it. It was our first time here and we ordered the Spicy Miso Tsukemen, Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly Ramen, and fried chicken. The fried chicken was tasty and had a good sauce with it, but the rest was inedible. I had the spicy miso and it was super oily and tasted like pure liquid smoke. It was so oily that I was able to scoop out the oil and offer it to someone who ordered the ramen and wanted chili oil (but also ruined their ramen cause all they could taste was the smokiness). Maybe I didn't get the right thing, but at $20 a bowl, I think I'll get lunch somewhere else. On the bright side - service was friendly, there was no wait, and you can upgrade the size for free! Total: $109 read more

Shugetsu - Spicy Miso Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Decided to try this place out to see how it compares to other Japanese noodle places in the area. Ordered their Aburasoba. It came with bean sprouts, pork, bamboo shoots and green onions. Texture-wise, the noodles were cooked perfectly. They were chewy the way they should be. The sauce felt a bit more oily than some others that I have tried. Taste-wise, it was rich with fish flavor. I'm not sure what the pile of powder flavoring was made out of, but I'm pretty sure whatever it was had something to do with the fish flavor. Also ordered soft boned chicken. It came deep fried with a vinegary soy based sauce. The pieces of chicken soft bones were lightly fried and the sauce made them very light and almost refreshing. I'll probably want to come back and try their tsukemen next time. read more

Shugetsu - Almost all gone! - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came in on a Friday for dinner at around 5:30pm with a group of 2. We waited for less than 5 minutes before being seated. Service was pretty quick with ordering and our food arrived in a timely manner. Spicy Bamboo - we wanted to try this out since it's pretty unique. It's good, we liked it! The bamboo is served in a spicy oil sauce with some bean sprouts and was a good filler while we waited for our food Soft Chicken Bones (cartilage) - This was my favorite appetizer! I love chicken cartilage and enjoyed this dish. It's served with lots of green onion, which I liked Shugetsu Tsukemen with Marinated Egg - I can see someone really liking this, but for me personally it wasn't really my thing. The reason is because I feel like the dipping sauce was too smokey and concentrated, and a bit too oily as well. The noodles are cooked well and taste great, for me personally it felt like each bite was very heavy and smokey. However, for someone that really leans into umami and smokey flavor, I can see why you would really love this dish. Green Onion Ramen Special - when they say it's a green onion ramen, they really mean it! You get lots and lots of green onion, and the flavor comes through very well. We had to wait a little while for our check to come, but this place is popular so this might be expected. read more

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I was so excited to have yet another ramen place in San Mateo to try! I've been to Shugetsu twice now. The first time I had ramen and the second time I had tsukemen. Overall the first time was much better than the second time. Service both times were quick and our dishes arrived within a few minutes after ordering. The restaurant is pretty small so we arrived right at opening both times to minimize our wait time although the more recent visit reflected that Shugetsu is probably not as popular as other nearby ramen places. The dipping broth for the tsukemen was extremely oily. It was as if the kitchen forgot to skim the oil or maybe they just serve it this way all the time. It was really difficult to enjoy as every dip resulted in a mouthful of grease. With many other ramen options around the Peninsula, Shugetsu is not likely a return to anytime soon for me. read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Tsukemen Special - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I came with a friend on a Saturday around 1 PM. They close at 2 PM for a refresh before re-opening at 5:30PM for dinner. There was a little bit of a wait, but not too long as there are only three parties ahead of us. The restaurant is a little smaller with a few seats at the bar, and a handful of tables to seat parties of 2 to 4. I got the Aburasoba ($18) while my friend got the Shugetsu Tsukemen with marinated egg ($20). Aburasoba - different from what I'm used to but not in a bad way. The noodles were slightly undercooked and it may have not been enough flavor for me personally but they did provide extra vinegar and sauce to add to your liking. I like the pepper flavor that they included and the meat was cooked well. I prefer the Aburasoba at Kaijiken for the flavor. Tskumen - this was also different than what we are used to, but in a good way. If you like a more smoky flavor, this was a way to go. The broth was on the oily side but it did feel lighter overall than some places that we have had in the past. There was a couple next to us that were speaking Japanese and it was reassuring to hear that the lady really enjoyed the meal so I take that it must've been authentic! One star down is that it took a little bit to flag down the server to get our order taken and close out. A pro is that the location is in a Plaza so there is ample parking. Overall solid spot if you were ever craving Tsukemen ramen. I wouldn't wait any longer than 15 minutes to be seated though! read more

Shugetsu - Aburasoba - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

We came on Sunday right after it opened and the restaurant wasn't too busy. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Classic tsukemen - I got the special with egg and pork slice. Great Tsukemen texture, bouncy and chewy. Dipping sauce was the gem. It was Smokey, full of umami, with hints of dashi flavour. Perfect consistency to coat the noodles. Bonus points for extra lean pork bites bathing in the sauce. Fatty pork slices were a delight. When dipped in the sauce, each bite is heavenly. Charcoal pork ramen - after tasting the Tsukemen dipping sauce, broth of the ramen felt a lot milder and less complex. Still a good bowl of ramen. Same noodle texture but thinner. Karaage - 5 piece, fried crisply to perfection, great vinaigrette to tone down the oiliness read more

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We found this place given my new goal this year to try all ramen places in the bay. Including the hyped tsukemen, which it is worth the hype - the pain of not having enough noodles for your dipping sauce is not even possible here with their extreme portion sizes! Service: Ordering- super straightforward Yelp waitlist upon entering, not needed at 11:30am on a Saturday for us! Payment via clover Interior: This is a small shop with only 8 tables and some high top bar seating. Very simple no frills interior. Food: The flavors man! X-Large Spicy Miso Tsukemen Charcoal Grilled Pork Belly with low sodium - **Spicy Tsukemen:** - Bold flavors and perfectly cooked noodles. - Well-balanced heat in the broth, enhancing without overpowering. - A delightful journey of rich umami and satisfying spice. - A must-try for those seeking a memorable ramen adventure. - **Pork Belly Ramen:** - Exceptional pork belly, melt-in-your-mouth tender. - Broth is a symphony of savory goodness. - Perfectly cooked noodles for a satisfying texture. - Attention to detail in presentation and freshness of ingredients make it stand out. - A hearty and delicious bowl that keeps me coming back for more. read more

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Heard this ramen shop offered a mega-size tsukymen ramen for the same price as a large, so I knew I had to conquer this. Deep Fried Chicken Soft Bones (5/5): This dish is great if want an appetizer before attacking your bowl. It piles of chicken cartilage deep fried in light batter on top of dipping sauce. The bones were not as hard as you would think and had the perfect chew. The batter was great since it wasn't too much. Miso Tsukemen Special (5/5): We got the mega-bowl and it was huge ( I definitely recommend to split this). It comes with chashu, soy marinated eggs, and the miso broth. The noodles were nothing spectacular, but was very plenty. However the broth was amazing as it was the best tsukymen I've ever had. It comes with lotus root and meat. It was perfectly balanced with sodium and saltiness. Definitely have to come here hungry read more

Shugetsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I cannot reiterate how exciting it was to see these words printed in their menu: "You can choose all noodle size with same price!!!". The very fact they had the option for MEGA (500g) speaks wonders and reminds of a ramen mainstay I left back in Boston. Will need to see how their ramen fares, but I can confirm this place is indeed quite special for their specialty (tsukemen). With perfectly chewy noodles, good flavor balance in the dipping sauce, and great temperature control on the broth...this is probably the first great tsukemen I've had in California. In general the noodles were great, being very thick and chewy, holding together extremely well and served at the designated temperature (hot was actually steaming, unlike other places I've been to). Plus you can go upwards to 500g (dry weight mind you, so it's a LOT). With that many noodles I'm not sure you could justify side dishes...but you could justify the "special" option for each dish. The special is an additional $4 for egg and chasiu, which is a *steal* for the quality of the stuff you're getting. Rich and creamy yolks, perfectly crisped slices of melt-in-your-mouth slices of pork? Do it! Shugetsu fried chicken 5 pc - 5/5 Firmly *not* a karaage style breading, but really quite delicious. Lightly battered and well seasoned with shichimi (or similar) and green onions. Deliciously moist. Had an obligatory kewpie mayo dip that rounds it out nicely. Spicy Miso tsukemen special - 5/5 Surprisingly quite potent on the miso flavor; full spicy, rich, and nutty glory with a nice smoky tang on the afternote. Oh man, was this a really good dipping broth. I legit finished the whole thing just eating it with the noodles and didn't have much left for the "add to make a broth" part. Does have pork chunks and some veggies in the broth, but not quite enough by itself for a meal if you ask me (which is why the 'special' part is good). Shugetsu tsukemen special - 5/5 Dashi focused broth, but extremely smooth and tasty without being too heavy or salty. Has a nice sour afternote that makes for quite a tasty dip. I actually enjoyed having light sips of this one after the meal was done (definitely could see this working very well with some stock to make a soup as they recommend). Side note: whoever runs the restaurant has a serious eagle eye for detail. My brother placed his takeout container briefly on an adjacent table (to rearrange his side so he could put away his noodles), and within the five seconds it was there a gray haired fellow dashed out from behind the counter and whisked it off the table. Like hot *damn* that was fast. Nothing but respect for that level of dedication. If you have been ever disappointed with tsukemen in the states, you simply MUST try this place out. It'll all have been worth it! read more

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The restaurant is pretty small, so I can imagine it'll get busy on the weekend. I came on a weekday without any wait. I was seated promptly. The menu is pretty straightforward and simple. They're popular for their tsukemen (dipping ramen). I ordered the tsukemen (mega since it's the same price regardless of size). I asked for green onions on the SIDE but the waitress misunderstood me and gave me EXTRA green onions, so a bit of confusion here. My partner ordered the ramen. I didn't realize there's different type of noodles for the tsukemen and ramen. I wish we knew this ahead of time so we could have requested for specific noodles. I prefer chewy, thick noodles which is used for the tsukemen but for the ramen, it's the thinner noodles. The broth for the tsukemen is very smokey. It has lots of oil and fat in it which helps the noodle clings to the broth. It's a very distinct but flavorful broth. It's pretty good, it comes with green onions, pork and bamboo shoots in the broth. I asked for hot noodles so they were definitely hot but I had a challenge just navigating the noodles with the utensil as they stuck together and very long. As for the ramen, I didn't think very highly of the ramen broth or the noodles. Overall, I think the experience and food was medicore. I don't think I was blown away with the tsukemen even though I did like the smokiness of the broth. Since this is a little far away from me, I don't think it's worth a trip to come back and I am not sure if this a place I'll recommend to others. It's worth trying but not worthy enough to return again. read more

Shugetsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I have dreams about this tsukemen. Super rich dipping sauce and chewy bouncy noodles. The pork belly bowl is grilled to perfection read more

Shugetsu - Shugetsu Tsukemen, pork belly bowl - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I love Shugetsu. Their ramens and tsukemen are great: the grilled pork belly is smoky, the noodles are cooked al dente, and the dipping broth for the tsukemen is so complex and flavorful - it even comes with small pieces of meat! Bonus: you can upgrade your noodle size free of charge. read more

Saw many videos about this place serving any size noodles for the same price for their tsukemen and finally decided to try it out! Walked in and was greeted with a warm welcome by the cooks and servers. Quickly got seated as there was no wait for a Tuesday night around 6:30pm. Deep Fried Chicken Soft Bones: 5/5 Omg, I love this dish so much! Basically some fried chicken cartilage with a sweet sauce at the bottom. I thought it was going to be hard because it's "bones" but it was more so a crunchy texture, it was yummy! Miso Tsukemen Special: 5/5 Got it hot with the Mega size noodle because why not!!! Dipping sauce/soup was flavorful with lots of meat pieces. Huge size, can definitely be shared between 2 people or save the rest for another meal later. So worth it! Really enjoyed my visit as the food and service were great. Check this place out for yourself! read more

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