The ambiance is getting slightly crappy in some parts of this place, need repairs…read more Buns and ramen were great as always ! Prompt service.

Finally got some Ippudo after craving it for a while. I'm not often in the Cupertino area, but I…read morewas doing a staycation nearby and decided to get takeout from IPPUDO Cupertino to eat in my hotel room at Residence Inn, which is literally just a 2-3 minute walk away. I ordered the Shiromaru Classic, Ippudo's original signature tonkotsu ramen featuring a rich pork-based broth, thin Hakata-style noodles, and chashu. The broth was good as always, and the noodles were fine, but I was a little disappointed with the chashu. It wasn't as tender as I remember it being, and what surprised me most was that the slices weren't particularly thick, yet they were still noticeably tough. In my opinion, chashu is one of the most important components of a good bowl of ramen, so this really stood out. I also ordered a side of takana, which is spicy pickled mustard greens that add a salty, tangy kick to the ramen. Unfortunately, they forgot to include it in my takeout order. Luckily, I was only a 3-minute walk from the restaurant, so it wasn't a huge inconvenience to walk back and pick it up. One thing I did like was that there wasn't much of a wait compared with what I remember from previous years. I went on a Saturday around lunchtime and was able to get my order pretty quickly. Since I was getting takeout, there isn't much to say about the service, but everything was straightforward. I've been to this location a few times in the past and remember it being excellent, so I'll likely come back again. Hopefully the chashu is back to what I remember next time.

First timer at this establishment. Took my mother here after a recommendation of a coworker,…read morealthough my family and I have wanted to try for some time. We accidentally showed when they were closed (our fault, didn't properly research), took some time to shop around, came back around 5PM by happenstance (no line at the moment) and were seated quickly with excellent service. A nice waitress took our orders, ice-cold water was given by a nice waiter (a pitcher of water sat beside us with chopsticks, spoons, and a napkin dispenser for convenience), then our food was promptly brought out by the waitress and waiter. Even faster than fast food service. Staff was incredibly polite and informational to my mother who had questions. They were very observant and aware of everything not just at our table but others and got us the check and a container for leftovers. Excellent customer service. Drinks and glasses served cold were a nice touch, water as well. The karaage (four pieces) was served first. Juicy and hot chicken thighs, nicely crisped up. Came with an excellent sweet sauce and lime to pair. Shortly after, my spicy tuna bowl. The spice and the taste were seemingly mild for my preference (however as I ate it with my spicy tonkotsu ramen broth, it became the perfect match), rice was perfect and the portion was heavier than I assumed which was a happy plus as a ricer lover. Personally love the seaweed bits. Whilst we began to eat the karaage, the waiter came and set our bowls of spicy tonkotsu ramens onto the table. We were able to take our time to eat our chicken, since as we eventually began to eat our noodles, they were still firm and the soup base was hot but not too hot to eat and enjoy right away. The egg is prepared absolutely perfect, the best I've had yet. It's the type of egg made for ramen. Broth was milky and delicious. I asked for extra woodear mushroom and menma on the side, as I do at every ramen spot I encounter, however I shouldn't have here because the topping portions were generous in-standing. However, I did still spoil myself to the extra toppings, so not a total loss since I really love menma and mushroom. I was also impressed by the spicy paste on top, actually felt a kick as someone who enjoys extremely spicy food. I overheard customers ask for "extra firm" noodles, so I might do so but the noodles were still wonderfully firm. Our order altogether came out to $89.98, not including tip. Overall, a wonderful space to frequent if you enjoy ramen and fast service. I'll have to come back with my brother :D

I came on Saturday for a weekend lunch. It was a later lunch than I preferred. We arrived around…read more1:30PM, and there was no line. Parking was a little difficult. Although it is a parking lot, it was very busy -- lots of businesses nearby and had to loop/drive around to find parking. Even entering the parking lot felt like it took awhile. This is a small ramsn shop inside, not too many seatings and may be difficult for large parties. There's table seating and bar seating. If i would to guess, it might fit 30-50 people tops or maybe less. We ordered the food and felt the food came out very quickly. We ordered both the chashu ramen and tonkotsu ramen. The portions felt small, broth isn't bad though. I enjoyed it. However, this place is very different than the tsujita annex in socal. I thought the portions were bigger at the annex. So in comparison, I prefer the tsujita annex over this location. This place overall isn't bad but not sure if I would return.

The waiter Kenny excellent service!!!!! Great personality…read moreSuper nice Great experience for my first time food so delicious Im glad he guided me in what to choose great choice!!!! The place very cozy

I usually go to the Udon Mugizo location in San Francisco, so I was excited to try the San Mateo…read morelocation and it definitely did not disappoint! I already love Mugizo, especially because when I want a rice dish AND udon, they have a combo for this. You definitely leave full and satisfied. I went with my girlfriends before a concert and they didn't take a long time serving or seating us, the service was great and they took time to check up on us. The seating didn't seem like there were too many options but I love that it seemed more spacious than the San Francisco location! We got the tempura don with udon, and just look at that portion! The tempura was piled high over the rice and came out crispy, flavorful, and filling. I love getting udon on the side because their noodles are always so comforting, especially with the warm broth and all the toppings. One of the reasons I keep coming back to Udon Mugizo is that the food feels hearty without being overly complicated. You get a LOT for your meal, and everything is so satisfying. The San Mateo location gave me the same experience I've come to love from the SF location.

Very good Beef soup with choice of noodle With perfect ramen eggs mmmmm…read more Chili oil did not disappoint. Fairly oily broth to begin with, family size will feed two adults as a main course. The beef was tender and flavorful. Noodle handcut and had fresh taste.

had the Mala beef soup noodles, and they were amazing. The hand cut noodles had a great texture and…read morejust the right amount of chew, while the broth was rich, flavorful, and packed with spice. The bowl also came with a generous mix of fresh vegetables and tender meat, which made it feel hearty and well balanced. Every bite had a great combination of noodles, broth, spice, and toppings. Overall, a delicious and satisfying bowl of noodles. I'd definitely come back to try more from the menu.

Tried going to Ramen Hajime twice before but the wait was always too long. This time, we planned…read moreahead and arrived 10 minutes before their opening time at 5pm on a Friday. We were able to add ourselves the the list and were seated within 10 minutes. The menu has a decent number of options to choose from- we ordered the chicken karaage, spicy miso ramen with a side of corn and seaweed, and the tonkatsu ramen. Everything was so delicious! Both broths were very flavorful and rich, the noodles were just chewy enough, and the thin slices of chashu was nice and tender. The chicken karaage wasn't breaded too thick and was extremely tasty. Service was also nice and efficient. Will definitely be back!

Everytime I come here I'm always surprised with how GOOD the ramen is compared to every other place…read morein the Bay Area. Service here is so friendly, I believe it's family run if I'm not mistaken. Do be preapred to wait, and the waitlist can only be joined physically from the store. I've only visited on weekends for lunch and typically wait between 30-45 minutes. Interior can fit 38-40 people so rotations go quickly. So worth it though! This broth doesn't make me sleepy or have excess sodium. It's smooth and almost milky. The flavor packs a punch and the noodles are so fresh, almost like a butter melting in your mouth. So proud to support Hajime and hope they stay in good business for many years to come!

A relaxing Shabu Shabu place. When I go to Shabu Shabu, I always feel the busy, loud vibe. This…read moreplace feels more intimate and relaxing especially on a weeknight. It feels smaller compared to other places, but well designed so as not to feel too cramped. I also like that the stove controls are more modern. One meat order per person, and it already includes a soup, one bowl of noodle, and a plate of veggies with leafy stuff, carrots, and mushrooms. They have a pretty good selection of meat The pork and beef belly were both good and fresh. There are 5 choices of soup. Their house broth was good, almost like a light tonkotsu broth. The Sukiyaki is also another good alternative. Got through dinner pretty relaxed even with the cooking. The service was good too.

This is a contender for our new favorite shabu place! Individual orders come with a choice of…read morebroth, your own box of mixed vegetables, sesame sauce, ponzu, choice of meat! The meat was sliced thinly and was well marbled! The portions were plenty and we left feeling nice and full. Service was fast and they kept checking in if we needed refills on broth, sauce or water. It's a quaint little restaurant so keep in mind there's mostly only tables for 2 or 4. Our table of 2 were sat on a high top table so it may not be as suitable for small children. The plaza does get busy so leave time for parking if you're in a rush!

This restaurant produces complete Japanese meals with an entree, a soup, a salad and a bowl of rice…read morefor most of its menu items. They do include ramen and udon dishes too. We arrived around 7 pm and discovered the restaurant closed at 8 pm on weekdays. They stop accepting customers on the wait list by about 7 pm. The interior was not large for such a popular restaurant for families. I ordered a chicken namban which I enjoyed thoroughly. My friend ordered the salmon teriyaki which also got a thumbs up. Interestingly enough both dishes were delivered under 5 minutes of having our orders taken by the wait staff. The problem is it can get very noisy inside as there is little in the way of insulation. Parking is also readily available.

Let's start off with a positive. I love one dish in particular, it is the Miso Katsu! The katsu is…read morecrispy and the miso sauce is packed with flavor. The tenderness of the pork is really nice too, especially paired with the onsen egg and rice. My only gripe is the service and cleanliness is really lacking and disappointing. The staff are NOT attentive, no one asks how your meal is, and just asking for a refill of water takes what seems like forever. When they still had the tablets at the table, I remember ringing for a waiter/waitress to bring my mother a takeout container and I could hear the bell ringing in the kitchen. It was very quickly shut off, a sign that maybe someone would come shortly, but nope. I waited for 5-7 minutes and rang a second time and AGAIN they quickly turned it off with no one coming. I was tempted to grab the to-go box myself, but didn't want to risk being told not to do that and just wait for an employee... Finally, after what felt like at least 10-12 minutes, someone gave us a box! As for the cleanliness, when I was served my meal once, there was old food still stuck to my tray. While it was only the tray the dishes were served on, it made me question how clean the other dinnerware was. So, while I love the Miso Katsu, the past few experiences do not make this dish worth revisiting Yayoi. Honestly, the service has been so sub-par that I really don't know why I bothered coming back. Every time I go, I wonder how disappointing the service is going to be. So, try it if you must, but be proactive in making sure your server is attentive!

Great pork loin katsu…read more Really solid katsu spot in Santa Clara. The pork loin katsu was high quality--crispy, juicy, cooked perfectly. Definitely coming back for more.

I was surprised to find out that it was a ghost kitchen since the food tasted so good. With that…read morebeing said, there's nothing in terms of ambiance or service since it's delivery-only. I got the takoyaki, cheese katsu, and pork loin curry don. Takoyaki was pretty filling, crispy, and had a decent amount of octopus bits. The sauce provided good flavor. Cheese katsu looked exactly like the photos. It was super gooey and cheese but still balanced well with the meat. Pork loin for the curry don was cooked perfectly and was super crispy while not being dry. The curry itself was well seasoned but the rice was a bit mushy. But I think this rice style is more typical with Japanese curries so I'll let it slide. My only complaint would be the price so it's a bit pricy for the portions but I think the deluxe sets definitely seem like the move if you want more bang for your buck. With that being said, I would 100% be willing to go back and try the other dishes as well. It's difficult to find a katsu place that knows how to consistently cook katsu well without drying it out