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Maru Ichi
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 10 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1077 reviews for Maru Ichi
Review Highlights
"Kuro Ramen+Curry Rice Special = A Perfect Meal."
(in 411 reviews)
"I had the spicy miso, and I loved every bite and slurp."
(in 71 reviews)
"The only real drawback is cash only."
(in 149 reviews)
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1077 reviews in English
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Review from Sean B.
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Of course I had the kuro (black) ramen; it's the house specialty and something about the fact that it's black soup (dark brown from the roasted garlic, technically) makes me intrigued. A foodie friend who I trust highly recommended it, so that's all I needed to hear. I got it with the side of curry rice, which was a nice combination of flavors.
It was inexpensive, tasty, and quick. Cash only is a bit of a hassle, but it's the Bay Area. Get on board. I gave it four and not five stars because frankly no other ramen shop touches the deliciousness of Orochon Ramen in downtown Los Angeles... but it would be 4.5 if Yelp rolled like that. I thoroughly enjoyed it.Listed in: Best of San Jose
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Review from Eileen K.
I had the kuro special (black soup?? garlic?? huh?? ok!!) and found it quite tasty, altho not too pleasing to the eye. (see picture) the garlic taste was def there, there were LOTS of noodles so very filing (couldnt finish) and the pork and meat was tender and juicy. the bean sprouts crunchy and delicious with the noodles! the hot soup totallyyy hit the spot on this cold, cold night. (albeit a bit salty for my taste..but i gess thats ramen for ya)
nothing too special about the interior or service. busy, bustling, and was quick.
have i tasted better? yes. would i go back? yep.
cash only! -
Review from Eric L.
Morgan Hill, CA
2/3/2012
I tried Maru Ichi yesterday. I had the combo C which included 3 pieces of gyoza, 3 pieces of California Roll, and a bowl of Spicy Miso Ramen.
1. Gyoza - Deep Fried, not sauteed. This completely reduces the flavor of the dumplings. They were also not served with any ponzu or anything so you have to mix your own with the provided rice vinegar, soy sauce, and S&B. I was able to come up with a good sauce and the Gyoza was still pretty good, but a few simple step would make it remarkable. 3 star
2. California Roll - Horrible. This is the simpliest roll to make and hard to screw up. They did. Don't opt for the roll. 1 star
3. Spicy Miso Ramen - This was just okay. The pork was just generic old pork pot roast. Same as you would get off any American buffet. The broth was just okay. Not too salty, but not much miso or spice either. The noodles were pretty decent though. All in all this was just mediocre Ramen. 3 star
4. Service was not real good. I had to ask to get my water refilled. Service is important. 2 star
5. Cash only. This is a huge negative for me. I realize we are in the "Bay", but damn get a Point of Sale system. It only costs the restaurant a few cents per transaction, and I may actually come back. 1 star
Add all that up and I will NOT come back. If I have to pay to use the ATM at your establishment or stop on the way at a bank ATM, your food and service better be phenominal if you expect me to return. I took a chance because I love great ramen, this was definately a FAIL. EPIC. The only reason I don't give it a 1 star is because I reserve this for truly horrible restaurants and Maru Ichi does not fit that category. Hope this help other potential clients. -
Review from jennifer l.
Menlo Park, CA
1/30/2012
*** 3.5 Stars ***
Oh Maru Ichi, I used to love you more, but I've cheated on you once too many times and have found another love.
The ramen here is good, but now a days you'll find better ramen with a kick like Ramen Dojo. I like Maru Ichi for their Lunch Combinations (Combo B) that include pot-stickers and California rolls. I get the Tonkutso ramen and it's pretty delicious.
On a cold winter day in downtown Mountain View, Maru Ichi will be your best bet. The warmth of the broth and tenderness of the pork will keep your tummy satisfied!
Pro Tip: Cash only but there's an ATM inside in case you forget.Listed in: Ramen Ninja
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Review from Mark T.
Stanford, CA
1/27/2012
Maru Ichi is a pretty good noodle house, though it's not as good as most people would have me believe. I've come here with pretty large groups on all my visits, and since we left a reservation, we didn't have to wait in too long of a line.
I usually get the Combo C with an eel bowl of rice, and add kikurage to my bowl. The portion sizes are pretty large, and the soup is pretty good, especially for the price. The pork was a little bit too chewy for my liking, but everything else in the bowl is great, though I do think their broth is a little bit too salty on both my visits
Still, probably one of the better places to get Ramen in the South Bay. -
Review from Mary Rose L.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2012
*Food: 3/5
Decided to try the ramen here after feeling a cold coming on. My boyfriend ordered the Kuro ramen, which the waiter said was most popular, but I couldn't get over the black soup =/ Instead, I ordered the Tonkatsu ramen, which I was pleased with. However, it does not compare to Orenchi ramen. The pork is not as tender and they only gave half an egg. Even though, I liked the consistency of the noodles, there was so much that most of my soup got soaked up. The broth of the Tonkatsu ramen was delicious, much better than the Kuro ramen. Be forewarned of the tons of bean sprouts they put in the Kuro ramen. It was difficult to tell the difference between them and the noodles.
*Portions & Price: 4/5
The price of about $8 was really reasonable for the portion sizes. For an additional cost you can turn the meal into a combo, with lots of different options.
Disclaimer: CASH ONLY! Typical for most ramen places, but still an inconvenience. There is an ATM inside the restaurant, but so not worth the service fee. We needed to stop by Bank of America first.
*Service & Atmosphere: 5/5
The waiter was very friendly and greeted us upon entering the restaurant. He constantly came by to check on us and make sure that our water cups were full (sign of good service). We came on a Tuesday night and there was no wait time at all. The food also came pretty quick.
*Overall Experience: 3.5/5 (an extra 0.5 for the excellent service, but not enough to make it 4 stars)
Would I come here again: Maybe (if the wait time at Orenchi is too long) -
Review from Kurt N.
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
If I hadn't had Orenchi ramen before coming here to try the Kuro ramen...maybe, just maybe I'll give a better rating than 3 stars. Now that Orenchi has touched my heart and made my tongue happy each time I've gone there...no other ramen spot ever compares to them.
The good:
1. No wait during dinner time
2. Combo meals that offer sides such as potstickers, california rolls or mini don bowls with your ramen bowls.
3. Service was great!
The bad:
1. Pork wasn't as juicy and tender as I thought it'd be...again I'm comparing the pork to Orenchi's
2. Kuro Ramen Broth didn't have as much flavor as I thought it would have
3. Too much bean sprouts? At one point, I couldn't tell whether I was eating sprouts or ramen noodles.
Maybe I'll try just the Tonkatsu ramen next time...
Happy Yelping! -
Review from Cammy C.
1/4/2012 1 photo
Came here for dinner tonight and left very full and satisfied. The ramen is comparable to other japanese ramen places I've been to, but a little more pricey if you order a bowl of ramen by itself. So I think their combo deals are the best way to go, where you can get some gyoza/sushi or a bowl of something over rice on the side. I ordered the maru ichi ramen special with a side of white tuna over rice for $14. The portions are very generous, and the ramen comes with HUGE amounts of meat, and the tonkatsu soup base is pretty flavorful. I liked the kuro ramen soup better though, and the kuro is $3 cheaper. I like that they have quite a lot of combinations to try with different things. I'm most interested in trying their curry over rice and spicy miso soup base...so if anyone's tried it and has any opinions to give, I'd like to hear them!
Please be advised that this restaurant is CASH ONLY. -
Review from Kenny O.
12/28/2011
Dat Kuro Ramen.
I came here a long time ago on a rainy day. I don't remember my experience there with great detail, but I'll do my best to recall some of the main points.
Per everyone's suggestion I ordered a Kuro Ramen (Combination B, I believe) and it was gooooooood.
The ambiance:
Busy as f***. It took a while to get seated and it took a while to get our food. It's full of mostly Asians and some Gringos mixed in. It's loud. Don't expect much wiggle room.
The food:
I already prefaced how much I liked the Kuro Ramen. Get the Kuro Ramen. It's amazingly garlicy without being offensive. Quite an interesting black broth to boot, too.
The service:
Slow. Meh. -
Review from Kyle H.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/30/2012
I don't know why this place remains so popular. Is it the location? Because it certainly isn't the food. The food is not bad, but there is much better ramen within walking distance. With ramen there are two essential components: the noodles and the broth. Screw one of those up and you've ruined it. Maruichi comes up short on both. The noodles are inconsistent - often undercooked and too chewy. The broth is pretty generic and boring. The restaurant is larger than the other two ramen places in downtown Mountain View, but possibly even more crowded.
I absolutely hate that it is cash only. I think there's no excuse for that, given the size and popularity of the place. The much smaller Shalala, which is fantastic, takes credit cards.
You can be forgiven if you like this place and you've never had anything better. That was me for a long time. But then I discovered what truly good ramen tastes like, and since then I've never been back to Maruichi. Even Ryowa is better than this place. The previously mentioned Shalala makes Maruichi look like they're selling instant noodles. Go a little farther, and Kahoo or Orenchi are also excellent. Just about any of the places in San Mateo put Maruichi to shame, too. -
Review from jazzy l.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012
Tonkontsu Ramen $10.95 (combo b includes california roll and gyoza). Not sure what the hype is about. They gave a tiny bit of pork and very little mushroom and seaweed.
There are better ramen places in San Mateo.
First Maru Ichi experience in Milpitas -
Review from Randy T.
12/26/2011
For some reason I was on a ramen binge a while back. Blame it on Santouka for starting me off on my path to ramen enlightenment.
I've been told when you go to Maru Ichi, the Kuro Ramen is what you should order. It's so visually unappealing with the murky dark black sesame oil lying on the surface of the garlicky broth, you expect the creature from the blue lagoon to be lurking at the bottom of your bowl. Except for the fact this lagoon is pure deliciousness. The fresh crunch of the bean sprouts. The tender hard boiled egg after bathing in the broth. The ethereal fatty pieces of thin pork that just melt in your mouth. Just composing this review makes me want to plop down some hard earned cash and have a big bowl right now. Except this time I would order a combo C. The combo B, accompanied by potstickers and California rolls, were mildly pleasing at best.
The Kuro Ramen itself was a 4. The potstickers and California rolls were a 2. So you, Maru Ichi get a 3 for your first visit. For me, the journey to ramen enlightment continues. -
Review from Sang P.
1/3/2012
Came here with a bunch of coworkers.
Impressed at first by the hand-cut noodles. However, my ramen was watered down and flavorless. With all the grease it had, I expected more. Very packed and busy - I remember discussing to go somewhere else but one of my coworkers insisted on us trying this place.
Overall, just an average, over-hyped(at least by the number of business it receives) ramen place but it satisfies your hunger pretty-well so I would not mind going back if I'm nearby. -
Review from Eugenia G.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2011
I try not to judge a resturant based on first impressions, just like anything else. Upon arrival, the restaurant wasn't nearly full or all that busy looking. You see a small sign telling you to wait to be seated. So we wrote our name down on their wait list clip board and starred at the workers. 2 of them were probaly working. No acknowledgement of our prescence-- NOTHING. We stand around and contemplate on whether or not we should just leave. We give it a wait...
FINALLY we were acknowledged and then asked where we wanted to sit at. I chose the one booth that needed to be cleaned despite other tables being open and available.
I ordered the miso ramen and we got edamame for appetizer. It didn't take too long for the food to come. My miso ramen was really really... REALLY salty and really lacked miso taste-- it almost tasted like shoyu ramen! I finish it anyway because i was hungry. This place really isn't special in any way.... I was surprised with how busy this place got though. Hm.. perhaps these people don't know good ramen or is it just me?
Also note they are CASH ONLY. -
Review from Liwei Y.
1/26/2012
I think this place has decent prices for the combos they have. It ends up being a lot of food and you get more than just ramen! But I feel that their ramen doesn't compare to the ramen I had at Suzu recently. Not as many toppings in the ramen (I don't want my ramen to be overpowered by noodles) and the noodles weren't as good in my opinion. For the combos and price, I'd still come here. Cash only, so make sure you bring enough cash.
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Review from Peter B.
San Francisco, CA
1/10/2012
I've been here several times, and it is consistently delicious. I always get the Tonkatsu Ramen. It is delicious by itself, but adding sesame oil and toasted garlic makes it even more spectacular and brings out the wonderful flavors. Also, the fried chicken (karaage) is amazing, especially when drizzled with lemon juice and some pepper powder.
The only thing that I don't like about this place is that it accepts cash only. However, there's a convenient ATM inside the restaurant. Also, you may need to wait for a little bit because it's a popular place and can get crowded, especially during lunch. -
Review from Joel Santos G.
Colma, CA
1/30/2012
I had the kuro ramen black garlic broth with pork & chicken. And I loved every bite and slurp...
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Review from Michelle K.
Stanford, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
A friend of mine recently traveled to Japan, so we decided it would only be appropriate to eat Japanese while he regaled me with stories. I haven't had much experience with ramen (other than the 17 cent packs of Top Ramen), so I was quite excited to try it out.
The ramen was great. I'm still a little embarrassed about eating it in front of others (I refuse to slurp), but I'll get over that eventually. The food came out very quickly, the servers were attentive, and the price was right (even though a little pricier than my typical ramen). My friend was happy with the fact that they had Sapporo on tap and I thoroughly enjoyed my warm sake. I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Rachel L.
La Jolla, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for a quick bite (dinner) for NYE. This ramen shop was the only place open for the night, so we drove over to Castro.
In short, the broth is OK and the noodles are chewy, yet somewhat choppy. There are different combinations you can order (ramen + 3 california roll pieces + 3 fried dumpling, or ramen + donburi, etc) and they definitely fill you up. It was a good place to grab a quick bite and go, not expecting much for taste or quality.
Overall, just OK. I'd come here again if this place was the only place open on a particular holiday. Otherwise, probably will look elsewhere. -
Review from Julia S.
12/19/2011 1 photo
(+)
- kuro ramen (about 8 bucks)
- chashu
(-)
- service
Tried this place 1230-1ish on a Monday. It was packed inside so we had to wait maybe 10 min? for a table. I already knew I was going to get the kuro ramen but it took a while for the waitress to come back and take our orders. Good thing there's kimchi there that you can snack on while you wait. We finally got our order taken but she didn't even ask if we wanted water. Our noodles came out quick and we had to ask her for some drinks then.
The broth was not salty at all compared to other ramen I've tried. I liked the texture of the noodles and the chashu meat was surprisingly tender and moist. By the time we finished our dishes, the place had emptied out so that it was only half full but it still took a while to flag someone down for the check. Prices are cheap for a meal but typical for a ramen place. Paid 10 bucks total.
Noodles and meat were good, would come back for the ramen. Recommend the food, service could use some improving though. -
Review from Annie D.
11/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My bf's favorite place, so we stop by here when the cravings hit.
They service kimchi on the table and fried dried onion pieces, free.
I always get the spicy miso and also tried the udon noodles. Their combos are a pretty good deal too.
Try coming during off peak time, this place can get pretty busy.
CASH only! -
Review from Ingrid C.
12/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So, ramen in Mountain View always seems to be flawed in some way. It's always too bland/salty/little or the noodles are too chewy/soft or the prices suck. There's no clear winner here.
The service is really subpar, and I'm not really expecting much from a ramen place, so that's saying something. Everything I need here needs to be asked for multiple times. The tables are sticky, and I'm constantly inspecting the spoons and cups.
And for some reason, their kimchi isn't very spicy to me.
Kuro ramen is usually what I get here - last time it was well-seasoned, but other times have been either too bland or too salty. Inconsistent, for sure (which seems ridiculous because i'm sure they "make" it the same way daily, or so I hope). I do like the blackness of color (that goth part of me, perhaps?), and I'm sure it's from the browned garlic.
I always get combo C (unless there's a special special combo), and it's usually the curry rice. The curry is spicy, but again, seems to lack an essential flavor.
It's nice that the noodles are house-made, but I think they're thin and I'm not a big fan of the consistency. It's chewy, but dense. -
Review from bonniebelle b.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
Mmmmm, this place is soooo good!!! And cheap! My boyfriend and I were looking for a good place to eat in Mountain View and voila, came across this little gem.
Food: We both got Combo B, I ordered the Tonkatsu (spell check?) and he ordered the Shoyu Ramen...combo B came with 3 potstickers and 3 California Rolls. It was about 9.95 per plate, but substituting the usual Ramen for Tonkatsu and Shoyu increased each order by a dollar.
His Shoyu was a-maze-ing! I wish I'd ordered that instead, but my Tonkatsu was not bad either! The cali rolls were standard, and fresh. The potstickers were also yummy.
The restaurant decor was pretty basic; nothing fancy.
I will definitely be back, just thinking about it makes me crave their udon and ramen even more!!!! -
Review from Stephanie S.
Fremont, CA
12/25/2011 1 photo
I came here with my big bro and his girlfriend this past Tuesday for dinner, and I'm glad I finally got to try it! The boyfriend said his family comes here a lot for ramen, and I've read lots of good reviews on yelp and it definitely did not disappointment. My big bro recommended the spicy miso and it was really yummy! The bowl was HUGE and I couldn't finish all of my noodles. My big bro and his girlfriend both ordered Combo B and devoured theirs. The ramen was very flavorful. The ambiance is nice- not a place to bring a date for a romantic evening, but good for friends, a couple just grabbing dinner, or family. It's not too loud, and the service wasn't too bad. The price wasn't too bad (considering how much food you get), so I would definitely come back here again!
Big reminder to bring cash because it's CASH ONLY!! -
Review from Mika Y.
Mountain View, CA
12/31/2011
This place has teuchi ramen. Hand-cut noodles alone make this place worth whatever shortcomings it may have. The thing is, these noodles were GOOD. Nice, chewy texture, thickness, color, etc. If that wasn't enough, they have vegetarian broth that's actually vegetarian and it's as salty and greasy as ramen broth SHOULD be.
Mmmm...salty, greasy, satisfactory vegetarian ramen with kimchi as osanae and a cup of ice water. The only thing that could've made this meal better was an ice-cold beer, but lunchtime on a weekday is kinda early for that. Definitely coming back on a Friday night after work!
Maru Ichi is cash only, like many of the shops and restaurants in downtown Mountain View, but it makes sense--paying with cash is a way to take out the middle man credit card companies and support small businesses. Keep up the good work, maru ichi! -
Review from Alan W.
12/7/2011
Pleasantly surprised. I've always kinda avoided this place because friends always dissed the Milpitas location. But my gf tried the MV and actually liked it so I gave in.
Kuro Ramen was surprisingly good. It looks pretty different from most other ramen out there, and I was a little concerned that the dish would be overpoweringly sesame-flavored, but it struck a good balance between being bold, but not too strong. I was a fan of the chashu, which was juicy and savory. Also the combo options are pretty good deals. I wouldn't put it at the top of my go-to Ramen lists, but really solid. -
Review from Nancy Y.
San Jose, CA
1/22/2012
We had the worst experience ever at Maru Ichi. We had ordered our meals and I had also asked for two more meals to go. We waited for at least 40 minutes, realized that we had not gotten our meals. I turned around and noticed that there were many to-go containers on their counter. I asked if it was all for us. AND the wait staff said oops the kitchen screwed up. They gave us our meals in dishes but the food was no longer hot. They offered to re-make it but by now we were so hungry we just ate it. Also they forgot my gyoza on my combo and forgot the extra order of gyoza that we ordered. Their response to all this fiasco was just a small sorry and a shrug of their shoulders. They definately lost my sons and I as a customer. I will stick to Ryowa.
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Review from Nidhi J.
San Jose, CA
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
A busy spot so be ready to wait for a table and there is no place really to wait, so you would be in the way of people walking in & out of the restaurant, unless you wait outside.
Got the combo with 3 fried dumplings and 3 California rolls with a big bowl of Ramen. The broth of the ramen was spicy and was perfect was a cold December afternoon. I enjoyed the crispy dumplings, very fresh and tender meat. Over all a perfect spot when you're looking for some good ramen. Service is very fast and efficient.
P.S... it's cash only! -
Review from Karen T.
Cupertino, CA
11/8/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Whenever I have cash in my wallet and am feeling for some noodle/ soupy things, I always beeline over to Maru Ichi. But it does come with a few caveats:
1. Come here early/ really late, or be prepared to wait through a ridiculous lunch rush.
2. Do not come with a big group. The bigger your party is, the harder it is to squeeze by and get seated
3. Cash only. It really is a problem if you pay everything with a credit card.
However, I am a ridiculously big fan of their Black Garlic Noodles. The portion is right, the flavoring is amazing, and you come of that restaurant feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. Winter is coming [insert Game of Thrones reference here], so it is all the more reason to stop by this place!
P.S. they make their own noodles :] -
Review from amelia s.
1/3/2012
Walking into Maru Ichi is like walking into a ramen house in Tokyo. They just need a ticket machine by the front door. We ordered their house specialty, Kuro ramen - noodle soup with browned garlic, pork, bean sprouts, and egg. The soup was flavorful, not too salty, and delicious, and the noodles were tender. We just wished that there was a noodle house like this near us!
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Review from Virginia D.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/7/2011
(3.5 stars)
My first taste of ramen was here! I don't know of any other place that does a Kuro Ramen. Sadly, it doesn't taste as good as it used to. The broth isn't as rich and the ramen noodle consistency has been too soggy for my liking.
Despite those flaws, the portion sizes are a great value for your money. Plus the cha siu slices are big and they don't charge you extra for egg, like other ramen places I've been to. The combos they offer give you a good variety of food. When I feel like eating until I hate myself from fullness, I get the Kuro Ramen combo that includes gyoza & california rolls. Don't judge me, but I like dipping my gyoza and california rolls into my ramen broth for added flavor, haha.
This combo of food came out to be about $10. Not bad considering all the food they give you. Be warned, CASH ONLY. Also, the wait can be quite long sometimes during lunch hours, I usually try to get here right when it opens. -
Review from Terence N.
Redondo Beach, CA
1/2/2012
I had the Kuro Ramen, thought it was good but not amazing. The broth was mildly flavored with roasted garlic, and that is pretty much all your going to taste. But unlike some ramen shops, the broth here isn't too heavy or salty, so you could actually drink all of it. The noodles are homemade, but I prefer a slightly chewier noodle. The ramen at santouka is still my favorite. The combo with eel rice is delicious, and I would spend the extra few bucks to get a combo if you're hungry. Ramen portions are pretty generous; you get plenty of noodle and soup. The lines are definitely long, I don't know if the ramen was good enough to wait 1hr for a table, but on a slow day I'd swing by anytime for my ramen fix.
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Review from Jenna L.
Sunnyvale, CA
11/29/2011
I tried this place before in a different location and thought it was alright. I tried it again because my old co-worker's friend works there and got us some good deals. We got tons of food, and I must admit it was much better than the first time I went there.. though I guess I am biased because no Japanese food here will be the same as in Japan... how unfortunate. Anyway, I would say this place was at least a little above average for sure. Try it out sometime.
There are a few locations, though I'm not sure exactly how many or where. I know there are at least one in Mountain View, and one in Milpitas... but not sure if there are more around. Oh, and suggestion: when you get the sorbet .. don't choose mango. it was... different. -
Review from Bryan Z.
San Jose, CA
11/7/2011
Of the many ramen places in the Bay Area, I consider Maru Ichi to be on the lower echelon. The broth just doesn't have that same flavor as places like Orenchi and Santouka. The eggs are also just hard boiled and don't have that slight runny consistency as places like Orenchi and Kahoo have.
I usually get the Combo C with either Kuro/Tonkatsu and Negitoro. It ends up being around $13 which isn't bad. This is strictly a preference but the ramen noodles here are straight noodles which I don't really care for. There's a reason every other ramen place use the curly ones, guys.
However, I do like the Negitoro here in comparison to the Milpitas location as it seems fresher. The Milpitas location always seem to have somewhat frozen Negitoro. The wait can also be long if you come during the lunch rush since it's right on Castro. We came around 1:30 and there was no wait at all so keep that in mind when you're looking to get lunch here. Bring your cash too as it's a cash only place - same as the Milpitas location. -
Review from Peter T.
San Francisco, CA
11/24/2011
We had both the Kuro and Miso ramen specials with rolls. Both broth were excellent and the ramen noodles were perfectly cooked. This place is always packed and crowded on the weekdays and even the weekends. You will need to write down your name and party number since they don't take reservations.
You can even see some guy sit in a small closet room that actually make the ramen noodles infront of you. Highly recommended if you happened to be in downtown Mt. View and want some delicious ramen noodles, especially during this cold winter weather in the SF Bay Area. -
Review from Local S.
Mountain View, CA
12/27/2011
Downtown MV has two longtime nearby rival Japanese fresh-noodle (ramen) soup houses, Maru Ichi and Ryowa, and a newcomer, Shalala (which I added to Yelp when it opened; Shalala is still defining its style and menu, which remains far shorter than either of its venerable rivals').
Maru Ichi and Ryowa both stand strongly in Melanie Wong's famous Chowhound ranking of 90-odd Bay Area ramen houses. Each has unique menu items and strengths, not always obvious until a few dozen visits each. My reports here reflect more than 100 visits each to Maru Ichi and Ryowa.
Of the two, Maru Ichi is often considered slightly more upscale in atmosphere and style, with mixed counter and table seating, longer more varied menu with more side-dish and combination options. Maru Ichi (whose own printed materials often spell it as one word, Maruichi) is part of a growing local restaurant group that includes the widely respected Sushi Tomi nearby.
As usual in ramen houses, a few popular noodle-soup bowls begin the menu, each garnished with a varied but carefully balanced array of vegetables and herbs, thin slices of cooked pork, etc. The house special broth (used for kuro ramen and the new tsukemen) features darkly browned garlic as signature ingredient. Jars of toasted garlic chips also are among condiment assortments on tables. Uniquely among local ramen houses, Maru Ichi makes its own noodles, in a booth near the frontt. The noodle maker, Toru, is the manager.
Menu options include side rice bowls with sashimi, donburi, etc., some of which come and go -- wall posters supplement printed menus. Of the main noodle bowls, my favorites include shoyu ramen (which, unusually for local ramen houses making this style, uses a very strong clear meat stock) and tempura soba (shrimp tempura garnishing buckwheat soba noodles in a light fresh broth, a hearty satisfying combination). Seasonally (around summer only), Maru Ichi offers its famous hiyashi chuka (cold noodle salad), which Melanie Wong praised and which rival Ryowa was obliged to answer starting last year with its own very different version. Ryowa in turn had an exclusive, wickedly good spicy tsukemen ("dipping noodles," special noodles served lukewarm with a hot broth and plate of garnishes) which Maru Ichi answered this year in its own, again very different, form. I forget which place first added a fashionable tonkotsu (pork-bone-broth) ramen, but both have it. The discounted draft "lunch beer" is a good deal at lunch, and the green tea is always freshly made, strong, and bracing, especially agreeable in winter -- high season for all noodle-soup restaurants.
To avoid: Gyoza (pot stickers), which no one prefers to Ryowa's (Ryowa's are freshly made with tender wrappers and crisp toasty browned bottoms; Maru Ichi's recall frozen ones I've bought at Trader Joe's). Maru Ichi's "California roll" sushi side is a quick version using tuna paste; skip it for the classier sashimi bowls of solid tuna or eel. And don't try to get into Maru Ichi between 12:10 and 1:00 weekdays, when crowds mob the front waiting for seats. (Popular weekend brunch times have the same issue.) But weekdays 11:30-12 or 1:15-2 you can consistently find empty seats. -
Review from Stephanie B.
South San Francisco, CA
10/11/2011
Came here with a friend for lunch. Safe to say that around 12 (rush hour lunch time), it wasn't too crowded. We waited maybe 5 minutes before we were seated (table for 2, at the counter).
FOOD
-Side of kim chi: FREE! I've had better for sure, but I still appreciate this serving. Definitely good to munch on if you're starving and waiting to nom nom on ramen.
-Tonkontsu ramen: The noodles are really good, that was pretty much the only highlight of the ramen though. Comes with egg, seaweed, and beef brisket I think. I thought the broth was kinda too salty - had to add some spice flakes to change up the flavor. (3 stars)
I think I should have gotten the kuro ramen....take note.
I got the Combo B for 10 bucks, which came with 3 fried wontons and 3 california rolls. I love fried wontons! These were delicious. Perfectly crispy. Add one to your ramen! Makes it more interesting. Yeah, maybe the wontons were greasy.....but it's fried...so you're kinda going to get that oily taste. California rolls were good too! I just appreciate that I could get so much for 10 bucks.
The combo is a SOLID meal: soup, sushi rolls, and won tons. Defs overall, 4 star material!
CASH ONLY. PARK IN THE STRUCTURE BEHIND THE RESTAURANT. -
Review from Beethoven C.
Palo Alto, CA
10/3/2011
Don't come here hungry, cranky and with kids in tow at lunch time.
This place is super busy and the service plummets as a consequence. Moreover, there is no waiting area and the seating is very cramped.
That said, the ramen is very good and reasonably priced. Our daughter dug into her little ramen bowl of al-dente ramen and pork, and shoved the food down her gullet so fast she looked like a foie gras duck doing the gavage. Guess she was just hungry...
Parking is plentiful (this is downtown Mountain View, after all. Mountain View, "where Palo Alto goes for Chinese food"). -
Review from David T.
San Jose, CA
9/25/2011
My second time here. On the first visit, I had their kuroramen which was simply amazing and stands out in terms of unique flavor from all the other ramen shops in the south bay. The soup still haunts my dreams to this day. Their noodles is also does not disappoints.
Unfortunately, my second visit was a complete lackluster. This time I got the spicy miso ramen. Their soup is definitely not as good as shalala and the noodles are wayy to squishy. definitely not the same ones that came with the kuroramen.
On the plus side, maru ichi offers the awesome combo packages. Definitely go with the kuroramen when you visit and try the ikura don! -
Review from Tiffany C.
Los Altos, CA
12/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Love that they make ramen from scratch and you can watch them from the window. I got the kaarage to share, and the maru ichi tonkotsu ramen. For the chicken my main issues is the same as with orenchi, it needs fatty japanese mayo. lol. The ramen was really good and flavorful. I'm not sure what they add differently then other places but I was insanely thirsty the entire night following dinner. No Bueno.
