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Santa Ramen
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Chinese Japanese, Chinese
1944 S El Camino RealSan Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 344-5918
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon, Wed-Sat 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun 5:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1576 reviews for Santa Ramen
Review Highlights
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"Their stewed pork ROCKS MY WORLD." In 282 reviews -
"love the chicken karaage, love the fried tofu." In 73 reviews -
"Fried Garlic, $1.00, fabulous, HIGHLY recommend." In 69 reviews
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1575 reviews in English
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Review from Monica F.
It was really easy for me to be a regular at Santa Ramen. Why? Because their ramen is not overrated like the one close to my place in Santa Clara. They didn't have a long line, their service is faster, and most importantly, their broth is more LEGIT.
My friends decided to grab dinner here after our snowboarding trip in Tahoe,..in our snowboarding pants and all...and it was the BEST IDEA EVER!
We were gladly accommodated when we came about 15mins before closing; which was really nice of them; although the only choice we had was the Pork broth -which was my friends' recommendation anyway.
What a way to end a tiring playtime in the snow....
The ramen was sooooooooooooo SATISFYING!!!! It was like swallowing butter with a less guilty feeling. It was like forgetting ramen noodles were carbs and thinking it's protein...it's like drinking ice cold water in the dessert while slurping their tasty broth.
On my other visits to Santa Ramen, I tried the Pork broth with corn, extra roasted seaweed, and got it in Spicy... OH MY!!!!! definitely a must try for spicy food lovers. There's this kick. It'll get your nose runny in a nice delicious way.
We also tried the following appetizers:
*Chicken Karaage: do not under-estimate their chicken karaage and ask for "sauce" on the side. Their karaage is JUICY and tender and crisp and just wondevouz....
*Stewed Pork: Once again. it's like eating butter. Soooooo soft; so yummy... so tasty.... I fell in love with it.
I can't wait to come back on Thursday.....our next Ramen Thursday. and it's Santa ramen's time... -
Review from Jim A.
Atherton, CA
5/18/2012
Over cooked, bland noodles. Super fatty, greasy broth. Overall a sub-par ramen with limited menu.
I don't understand what the hype is about. -
Review from Norman S.
Updated - 5/11/2012 1 photo
Finally got to try the miso version since they ran out the last time I was here. The miso broth is rich and thicker than the pork broth as I remember it. Lots of good bits of miso with the flavor to boot. Thankfully, it's not overly salty or greasy as miso broths tend to be in many ramen places. Perfect mix of bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and green onions add crunch to the noodles. Good broth is key in good ramen and second piece to the puzzle is good noodles cooked to al dente perfection. The noodles here didn't disappoint. They probably have cooking al dente noodles down to a science.
Two deli-thin slices of Chashu pork with streaks of fat add some protein. The pork slices are relatively flavorless by themselves so they complement the salty broth well.
Another home run by Santa.
Get there when they open at 5:30pm and you won't have no stinkin' lines to deal with. Savor the flavor!Listed in: Oodles of Noodles
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2010
Santa Ramen wasn't as generous as Santa Claus considering the 30 minute wait for a table.
Ran out of… Read more »
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Review from Robert H.
Belmont, CA
5/21/2012
I haven't been here for a while and decided to check it out since I'm hankering for some ramen for lunch. Good thing is that it isn't as crowded as before. The ramen portion is somewhat smaller than I recalled. The pork broth is still well made but not quite the soul as they had when they were at B street. Service is efficient but not a lot of frills.
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Review from Rosie W.
5/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I haven't written a review for Santa Ramen yet?!? Shame on me!
Broth: Tasty, just the right amount of saltiness. My favorite is the tonkatsu/pork flavor ramen. You can really taste the pork with each sip and just one sip is never enough. SO SATISFYING. Do they add crank in it?!?!?!
Noodles: Always cooked perfectly. Perfect elasticity.
Pork: Believe all the rumors about their pork being the best. So tender and juicy every time.
Wish I can have a bowl of it now ... -
Review from Peter T.
Washington, DC
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very good ramen-ya. I had the shoyu ramen with boiled egg and stewed premium pork (kurobuta). Noodles were good. Broth was flavorful. Kurobuta was outstanding! Definitely worth trying if you are in the area.
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Review from Danny K.
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
First thing that comes to mind when thinking about Santa Ramen = disappointed.
After a long workout at 24 we yelped and found Santa Ramen. After reading some reviews we got excited with the thought of a sister Ramen shop to Ramen Dojo (I haven't tried Ramen Dojo but apparently it's amazing).
With Santa Ramen only about 2 blocks away from my gym it was perfect for us to dine their after a long workout. Got there around 6:30PM and had no problems getting a table. We each ordered the Miso ramen - I got extra garlic (don't get extra garlic. I LOVE garlic but my broth was filled with garlic chunks), boiled egg (this is not a soft boiled egg - just a plain ole boiled egg), and kimchi - I'm not sure if they added any.
Overall, taste was lacking and experience was sub-par. Maybe it was the overwhelming supply of garlic or maybe it was my disappointment with the lack of kimchi. Or maybe it was me setting expectation too high. Whatever it was, I won't be coming back.... -
Review from Julie M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
After a long night and too little sleep going for Santa Ramen the next day was perfect. I have heard a lot about Santa and was excited (and starving) to try it. After a little wait we were seated and this nice bowl of comforting broth filled with noodles and and other stuff was devoured fairly fast. It was good, not the best I have had, but definitely an enjoyable experience. The only things I didn't like were that there was too much green onion in it that became a challenge to try and avoid a mouthful of them, and my group all got an egg with it, hard boiled didn't really compliment the rest of the ramen and mainly was left untouched.
Overall a good experience and perfect when needing a filling meal. -
Review from jason v.
Hayward, CA
5/18/2012
If I could I would give them 1.5. I don't see what all this hype is about. Luckily there wasn't a long line to get seated. The service was okay. Appetizer were ok.
Oily and bland broth, very little noodles and pricey. The charge you for every side. -
Review from Melissa L.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2012
This was my first visit to their new location. I had visited Santa Ramen a few times at their old location and was looking forward to this meal with some friends. All of us were assembled just as the waitress was about to take our order....while outside waiting in line for the restaurant to open. One friend informed me that they had made some changes to reduce the waiting time, both for a table and for the food to arrive.
I ordered the miso flavored ramen with an extra boiled egg. Our bowls of noodles arrived quickly, steamy and hot. One sip of the broth told me that my memories of this dish exceeded the reality sitting in front of me. It was okay, but not outstanding, as I had remembered it to be. I added a lot of the pickled red ginger to my dish to liven it up. The noodles were a good texture, not overcooked. The bamboo shoots and bean sprouts provided a nice bit of crunch. The pork was sliced very thin and slightly fatty. The egg, which usually come soft boiled, was overcooked.
Was my opinion swayed by having recently eaten some outstanding ramen elsewhere? Perhaps. Santa has good ramen, but is it worth the long wait times and navigating that crazy parking lot? I'm not so sure. If I'm in the area, then yes.
I do like that the new location is at least 3 times as big as the old location. I like that they have made it easier to navigate through their menu. I like that they are concerned about their long lines and have made changes to address that matter. -
Review from Jessica H.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
Eh. You know.
Honestly, I think my brother definitely hyped this place up a little too much.
The menu is extremely simple. 3 basic ramens, and then add ons. You give your order to the person before your seated. There isn't a number system and seating is basically first come first serve. Usually it goes like this:
1. Park car in parking lot.
2. Walk to restaurant.
3. Stand in line.
4. Look at menus while standing in line.
5. Order when you get to front of line, right before being seated.
6. Get seated.
7. Food comes.
Food wise, the place is alright. My brother said that the tonkatsu ramen then with the extra meat on top was best. The extra meat was a bit too much, and the soups got a bit too salty (both for the soy and the tonkatsu).
Alright ramen. But given the drive from the city, wouldn't do it again. -
Review from Justin L.
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dear Santa,
I've been a very good boy this year. All I want now is a big bowl of piping hot pork broth ramen with an extra egg and some delicious kurobuta pork.
That's all for now.
Happy Holidays,
Justin
P.S. Enjoy the milk & cookies ;)
P.P.S. Say hi to Rudolph =DListed in: Tastebud Heaven
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Review from Joe M.
Despite the fact that I had a big bowl of Japanese noodles for lunch, I could always make room for more. Enter Santa Ramen for dinner! I have no idea how they came up with that name but they're owned by the same folks who own Ramen Dojo and Ramen Parlor, so you know they can make a killer bowl of ramen. I was eager to give it a try.
Their menu is pretty small and there are only three broth options. I ordered the ramen in pork-flavored broth with no add-ins. I thought the broth was very flavorful and the portion size was quite large. It's pretty basic compared to the offerings at Ramen Parlor, but it's also cheaper, allowing for more combinations of exactly what you want. I tend not to order the add-ins because they inflate the prices to the moon and I like my ramen under ten bucks. Overall it was quite good and the closest ramen joint to my apartment so I'll most certainly back.
Service was nice here and Santa Ramen really starts to get busy around 8pm. Lines aren't uncommon especially on weekends so arrive early! Luckily there's a decent sized lot so parking isn't as big a hassle as Dojo or Himawari. There's even a bar for those dining along, though I do wish they'd play some music or something because it is definitely lacking ambient sound. Now, only Ramen Dojo remains of the popular noodle joints to try.
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Price: $
Atmosphere: 7/10 -
Review from Kim L.
3/31/2012
Not really a Santa Fan. It's Just OK.
Maybe it's the long lines that set the expectations high but I really don't get the Santa craze and YES, I've tried the stewed pork. It really wasn't all that and I really don't understand how that always gets sold out. I mean..Santa, have you thought about making more so it doesn't always sell out? Are you creating this artificial demand by offering limited items to create hype but not deliver on stepping it up above the rest? I seriously don't get it. I've even heard of friends being disappointed because they waited in line but they ran out of broth by the time, it was their turn to dine.
I've had the stewed pork ramen, the miso ramen, the shoyu ramen, etc., etc.. The noodles are al dente which is nice and the flavor is pretty good but I really hate how they fail to fill the broth to the top of the bowl. If you don't eat fast, you're going to end up with gravy noodles. Also, if you order extra noodles, BUYER BEWARE. It DOES NOT mean that it comes with extra broth. Again.. eat quick or you'll end up with gravy over ramen instead of ramen noodle soup.
Over all the prices are high since they charge for every little topping such as fried garlic which Himawari offers at part of their complimentary condiment selection. The lines are unnecessarily long and the service is slow. You order while you're still waiting in line which is at least 5-15 minutes prior to seating but you still manage to wait another 15 minutes after being seated. Ummm... how is that so efficient?
I guess it's probably a good thing that this noodle queen isn't drooling over this place since I hate waiting in line for food! I'll eat it, but don't make me go out of my way for it.Listed in: Noodle Joints - The Good, Bad,…
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Review from Andy W.
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Their noodles are average however their pork broth is really good. Portion size is just right. I often have to add noodles when I order ramen but not at Santa Ramen.
The stewed pork is not as good as it's cracked up to be. Not worth the extra $5 bucks.
Chicken karaage and grilled squid is also average.
Seems like they run out of things fast. Soy sauce and miso broth were no longer available by 7:30pm on a Sat. night.
There's always a line but it looks worst than what it really is. Opt for the counter if you have a smaller party, you'll get seated a lot faster. They won't seat you until everyone is there. You also have to physically stand in line to wait (they don't take names or give you a number). Also be prepared to order while you are still in line. They may take your order before they seat you.
The restaurant is well ventilated and clean. Make sure everyone in your party orders something. They have a $8.50 minimum requirement per person. -
Review from CandM P.
San Mateo, CA
4/17/2012
This place always has a long line, but after talking to my Japanese friend, I didn't feel like waiting in line to try their ramen.
But last Sun., when we went to Nijiya to get some dinner (since our kitchen is under construction), we noticed there was no line at Santa.
So we decided to try. I ordered tonkotsu with spice and moyashi. My husband ordered plain tonkotsu.
As my friend said, it is just OK. Not sure why it is so popular. Tonkotsu soup tasted a bit watered down. Spice was good, though.
I also noticed they charge $2.50 for menma. I just don't remember any ramen that didn't come with menma in Japan.
Of 3 ramen places by the same owner, I only like Ramen Dojo. I may try miso ramen at Santa some other time, but only when there is no line.
So if you ask me if it is worth waiting in a long line, I would say no. -
Review from K H.
Palo Alto, CA
5/13/2012
So-so ramen.
This place is like the soup nazi. No substitutions. No take out?
You practically have to pay for basic options that other ramen places have and the broth is fairly meh.
Fried chicken was so bland. Batter was not crisp, almost stale in a way.
Service was fast but lacking in attention to detail. -
Review from Juliana C.
San Jose, CA
5/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Damn, really didn't think there was such a thing as "too much fried garlic". Willing to give Santa Ramen another shot, but the 1/2 cup of garlic that soaked up all my broth was a bit ridiculous! Will try to convince Danny K. to return.
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Review from Christy L.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ho Ho Hooooo... Merry Ramen!!
"Tell Santa what you want for Raman-mas this year, Christy..."
"I want a big fat bowl of Santa Ramen pork broth with extra noodles, stewed pork and egg!"
"Well, ONLY if you're a really, really good girl...then Santa will take you to Santa Ramen...but you must behave..."
"Damn..." *pout*
Santa Ramen makes this girl want to be good! Order the pork broth - one of the best I've had!! I also love their noodles - perfect taste and consistency.
FAST service and not much of a wait.
I guess I'll be good....Listed in: Oh Ramen!
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Review from Emcee L.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I wish I could rate this place higher but we had such horrible service the last time I came here, I just can't justify anything higher than 3 stars.
On the food alone, Santa Ramen is my favorite ramen joint in the Bay Area. I haven't found a place whose broth is more flavorful and whose stewed pork more tender.
I would not recommend coming to Santa in a group. I would say 4-5 people max if you do come in a group. We had 10 people on my last visit, and while they were kind enough to accommodate such a large number or people at the end of the night, 3 of us didn't get our food with the rest of our friends. They had completely forgotten to bring out the last three dishes. We saw two smaller parties served their food even though we had reminded the staff twice to bring out the remaining ramen dishes. BTW, one of my friends who didn't get her food on time happens to be 5.5 months pregnant. I mean really, how can you not give a pregnant lady her food? -
Review from Killah K.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2012
Overall pleasant experience. The ramen is good but I had hoped for a larger selection of broths. The noodle was cooked perfectly however and the customer service was there.
Had the Miso flavored ramen w/ extra cha shu. The shashu melted in my mouth and was super tender. The broth was a little on the salty side and kind of oily though. Also ordered fried squid, but it didn't seem like the squid was freshly fried. There was no crispiness to it and tasted kind of like it came frozen?
Everything else was okay. -
Review from Huey K.
Updated - 3/23/2012
Now that I've actually traveled the world/country to eat ramen, I have to say that Santa Ramen is just okay.
The stewed pork is tasty, but for an extra $4.75(!), I was expecting to be blown away. The chashu was a bit off, too. The karaage just lacks a little bit of flavor/seasoning, and the soup is just not fatty enough!
Lastly, they ran out of eggs, which made for sad times.Listed in: Ramen Bay Area
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/4/2011
After a long day of hanging out at museums, I craved ramen. I go to Himawari fairly often, so I… Read more »
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Review from Lois B.
Redwood City, CA
5/4/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Overall, Santa is a good ramen place. They serve up a big (BIG) bowl of ramen and the broths are very good- rich and flavorful. The noodles are less al dente than other places, but still have enough chew.
My favorite is the Tonkotsu. The broth is thick, milky, almost creamy, and has a rich pork flavor. I like to add wakame to mine. It's nice that the pickled ginger is available on the table to add as you like.
Hubby and kids like the Shoyu ramen. Good soy sauce flavor, but not overpowering.
The Miso broth has good miso flavor. It's got a spicy kick to it.
All the ramen bowls come with two slices of pork, which are tender and very good. The kurobata is good, too, but the sell out of it sometimes.
Broth: 5 stars (among the best I've had)
Noodles: 3 1/2: OK, not super special.
Sides/add-ons: 3 1/2- stewed pork belly is good, sliced pork is good, generous portions of wakame and corn. Egg is disappointing- it's just a plain hard-boiled egg. Kimchee on the side or added to the bowl is pretty pricey for something that comes out of a big jar from Costco. Chicken karaage is OK- I've had better. The Fried Pork with Garlic is worth ordering- very garlicky and the panko breading is fried light and crisp (not greasy).
Yebisu Beer: 5 stars for having this on the menu!
Service: 3 stars. They're always rushed and not always very friendly, but once in a while we come on a night when they're "on." -
Review from Edward H.
San Mateo, CA
4/5/2012
I keep hearing about this place so I decided to try it. Originally from Hawaii, I'm pretty picky about my Saimin (Ramen for the Haoles).
I had the Shoyu broth. The portions were good and it had a good flavor.
On the downside:
Little pricier than other Ramen places, limited menu and the broth was very oily.
Also, I was lucky with the timing. The people coming in behind me had a line. By the time I left, wait time for a table was about 30-40 minutes. -
Review from brent p.
San Mateo, CA
Updated - 5/5/2012
second time here...no line..no waiting.....great service...huge bowl of delicious ramen and soup...i'm getting to really like this place....
oishee!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/22/2012
Was on my way into Fresh Choice when I happened to look across the parking lot and noticed that… Read more »
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Review from Mike L.
HO HO HO, MEEEEERRRRRRRYYYYY RAAAAMENNN! Okay, okay...I know that was lame, but I couldn't resist.
The first time I tried Santa Ramen, it was a few years ago when they were still at their original location. I can't recall what my order was exactly, but I remember thinking it was pretty damn tasty. The broth was flavorful, the noodles were great, and it was just straight up delicious!
Fast forward to a few weeks ago, and I finally made it back to Santa Ramen and their new location. Besides it being a bit nicer than their old spot, I love how it's so much bigger now. Between the added seating and how they take your order while you're still in line, both the wait for a table and for your food is that much shorter. Considering that was always their biggest knock, problem solved!
While some ramen joints limit you to their preset options, it's cool how Santa lets you customize your bowl to your liking. After you pick one of their three basic types/broths (Soy Sauce, Pork, and Miso), you add whatever condiments you want from the dozen or so they offer. For my order, I went with the Pork Ramen (with green onion, kukurage mushroom, and roasted pork), and threw on Fried Garlic, the Kurobata/Stewed Pork, and a Boiled Egg.
Now, I had heard rumors that Santa wasn't as good after their move, but I always hoped they weren't true. Sadly, it looks like they were. While the ramen is still pretty good, it's just not as good as I remember. The noodles were nice and al dente, but the roast pork felt a little dry and the broth didn't seem as rich and flavorful as it did before (still not bad). The Kurobata Pork and Fried Garlic were good though, and the Boiled Egg was fine (but nothing special).
Had I ordered my broth spicy, there's a good chance I would have liked the ramen a bit more. However, I'm not sure that would have made up the difference between my first trip and this last one. Santa Ramen is still a good way to get a ramen fix (especially since the lines are all but gone), but I'll probably check out Ramen Dojo (their sister restaurant at their old place) before coming back to see how that one compares.Listed in: RAMENIA!
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Review from Vivian L.
San Jose, CA
3/31/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I decided to try their soy sauce ramen. I had always got their miso ramen.
It's equally good!
I love the ramen here. The place does get pretty crowded during lunch hour.
The staff is friendly. -
Review from Kim R.
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
ehhhhh....
Not as great as I had hoped it to be.. So you choose your ramen, each ramen (shoyu, miso, tonkotsu) has it's own type of toppings, but if you want to add more of course is additional charge, extra chashu is well worth it. They give you a LOT of ramen which is good if your the kind of person that always orders extra this place is for you. I barely could finish mine. I was kind of disappointed in the broth, something was missing and their egg is NOT goey... so sad.. I ordered it because I thought it was going to be goey... :(( -
Review from Tiger W.
2/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Not Much to Say that hasn't been said already.
This place just shows me how much I miss the Bay Area.
Great Simple Menu with "FRESH" made Ramen Noodles. It's doesn't get better than this...except at their sister location down the street. -
Review from Michael W.
Stanford, CA
4/28/2012
Stewed pork is good, otherwise just ok
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Review from Raquel Y.
Ok, normally I would only give something 5 stars if I tried it a second time and STILL loved it. But, I'm giving it 5 stars because:
[http://www.yelp.com/bi...
1. It doesn't deserve 3.5 stars because I was debating between 4 or 5. The pork ramen was delicious!!!! This is my #12 Ramen joint to try in the Bay Area ALONE! And yes, it's good. More than 3.5 stars good. People who gave this place low stars probably didn't get PORK ramen. And if they did, then they're garbage.
2. SUPER fast. We were in and out in 30 minutes on a Friday night! Weird, bf said there's usually a line but it was raining hard that night. But rainy weather usually means hot bowl of ramen to me!
3. I woke up the next morning feeling like having it again. I even woke up and sang Kesha's "tick tock" version going "Wake up in the morning feeling like San-ta Ramen" lol =P
Comparing to other ramen places, I feel like this ramen restaurant kind of "upped" my standards a bit. I have had Ramen Dojo and Dojo was delicious as well, but I'd rather come here and eat fast rather than wait an hour just to get seated.
Fried Garlic is good to add if you like the garlic taste.
Only thing that disappointed me was that they ran out of boiled eggs :( I love boiled eggs in my ramen. It was 7:30pm, so maybe come a bit earlier if you like 'em too
Ramen is what cheers me up on a good day. I'm obsessed with ramen. And this pork ramen bowl with garlic was out of this world. Wow.
I am sad that this place is far from me :( C'mon East Bay, open up some ramen places!!!Listed in: Ramen, Fav places to eat around the…
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Review from Kristin S.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2012
I don't like ramen, but I at some here. It was actually pretty good. I like the combinations on the menu and the food came out fairly fast. This place is always packed, so I take it as a good sign.
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Review from Michael N.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have long since been a Ramen snob, and this place definitely fits up there with my "Places to eat list." I'm in love with this place. It's got great service, ample amounts of parking, and the Ramen is to just die for. These guys know how to run a business. They have a customizable menu, which is pretty good for a Ramen shop, and the prices tend to add up if you want premium grade stuff, but you'll be all the happier when you're full. I recommend coming to this place early as they run out of ingredients.
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Review from Jacki C.
Newark, CA
3/6/2012
My coworker and I found this place when we had arrived early for a class we were taking in the area. We came at around 5pm and found that they didn't open until 5:30pm but were surprised that there were already people waiting outside.
I haven't been to a lot of ramen places, actually only one other, so I don't have a lot to compare to. The ramen was good, not too soft, al dente. I ordered the SoySauce broth and it was flavorful. Since this was our first time and we didn't have a lot of time before our class, we didn't order any appetizers or addons, we just ordered the ramen, (soysauce for me and miso for my coworker).
The service was fast and the restaurant quickly filled up by the time we got our bowls, which was only about 5 minutes after they opened. By the time we left, the place was hopping and it was only 6pm.
I don't think this is a five star place, since I don't see myself going out of my way to have this, but I might stop by again if I'm in the neigborhood. It is a little pricey for a bowl of ramen $8.50, but then again, I haven't been to too many places to compare.
Overall the food was good, the service was quick and I will be back the next time I'm in the neighborhood. -
Review from Joe C.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2012
Finally got around to trying Santa Ramen and really don't get what all the hype is all about. Went there on a Saturday night -- ran out of stewed pork. ran out of egg..only flavor soup was pork flavor. Hmm...
The flavor was okay, nothing mind-blowing; the portions are ridiculously large--had a hard time mixing up the noodles with the other fixin's (btw, way too much kikurage mushroom)
Extra star for tasty chicken karaage...
Still haven't tried Ramen Dojo (can't bring myself to stand in those crazy lines) but think I prefer Himawari over this joint.... -
Review from Jeremy J.
South San Francisco, CA
3/18/2012
Located in a shopping center on El Camion Real so there is plenty of parking. The place itself is decent size. Nice area with other places to eat in same shopping area.
I had the pork flavor Ramen and added corn and a hard egg. I heard the fried garlic is also very good. I had a soda as well. The ramen was really good and decent size. I really would like to try their other flavors and add different items and maybe my ratings will go up. The taste definitely has potential, but compared to other places i have tried, its not my favorite just yet.
The place gets packed pretty quick, but the service is also nice and quick too. They took our order before we sat down while we where in line waiting. I was really happy with the vibe, the price and service. I'll go back soon and try another bowl and see if this place can move up the ranks for me. -
Review from ed h.
Palo Alto, CA
2/13/2012
Overpriced for such lame quality. This place was more like 1.5 stars.
Chicken Kaarage was bland and didn't come with any aioli.
Hefty amount of noodles, which were the only highlight of this experience. Pork broth was mediocre.
After adding toppings that come normally with ramen in any other ramen shop.
I should have known when I walked in and the place smelled funny.
Service was stressful and not pleasant. The lady who served us was extremely dismissive, and conveniently forgot that they were out of miso flavor until AFTER we ordered. Seriously?
Not going back. -
Review from Mona W.
Not bad but very forgettable. I frankly do not understand the reasons behind the long line.
Their broth is definitely not salty. It was just very mellow. I actually think they could use a little more salt in both the tonkutso broth and miso broth to offset the lack of flavors. The toppings were alright. Charsiu has nice fat to meat ratio and was perfectly cooked. Other toppings like mushroom and bean sprouts were just standard fare. The noodles lacked personality.
A bowl of basic ramen is fairly inexpensive but your bill quickly rack up as you add more toppings. Is that tiny bit of cabbage and shitaki mushroom worth $2.50? I am really not sure.Listed in: Silicon Valley Ramen Roundup
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Review from Abby S.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Not sure if it's the chilly weather or just a love of all things salty, but I've been on a Ramen kick lately...
Although Himawari in San Mateo is delicious, I really do want to try other famous Ramen joints in the area. Unfortunately, the lines for these places are always really, really long! Santa Ramen is no exception, of course. Everyone raves about this particular spot and I really do want to try it. But I'm too impatient to spend an hour lurking around in line. It doesn't help that they close around 2 pm on weekdays, so if you get in line around 12:30 - 1 pm, you might not to get to sit down and actually enjoy your meal...
Any tips on days of the week or times that aren't so busy?Listed in: Japanese Food, Get in line!, Noodlin' around
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Review from Catie W.
Santa Clara, CA
4/17/2012
Stewed pork, miso flavor. Yum!
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