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Mon., Wed-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon., Wed-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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When I first came here, I thought it was a huge rip off to pay more than $10 for a bowl of ramen... but now after eating at a few ramen places, Santa Ramen has grown on me. It compares to Katana-Ya in SF's Union Sq. but just a farther drive. I like Santa Ramen for the choice of soup base- Miso, soy, and something else. The miso soup base was very flavorful, but it got old after a while... The soy soup base was light, and pretty delicious. It wasn't over powering or sickening. What I remember the most about Santa Ramen is the fatty pork. It has SOOO much flavor and also adds to your noodles... but it has a steep price for it... an extra $2 something. =X You have the option of adding different things to your soup, such as corn, extra bbq pork, etc... but of course, all for an extra $1 or so. This is why Santa Ramen gets pricey!
Overall, the noodle soups are reallllly good, esp with the fatty pork! I would advise for everyone to try the fatty pork at least once... you will love it and want it at every ramen place you go to! The place is pretty popular, so be ready for a 15min wait around 6 or 7.
Figured it's time for an update since the last three times I went, the ramen was consistently good.
Flavorful fatty broth. Perfectly cooked noodles. Food coma after. Lovely experience each time, food-wise. Also seems like they're making more of in terms of service too, although they still plunk down the check before you finish eating.
This is my number one ramen spot now. Here's hoping they keep it up!
Hmmm...Santa used to be much, much better back when they were a tiny little hole in the wall. It… Read more »
3.5 stars but I'll round up.
I got the spicy miso soup ramen with napa cabbage & shitake mushrooms. It was very thick, not too much soup, hella msg - had to drink a bottle of water afterwards, noodles a little chewy and good (the way I like it). Overall good.
We got there early at 6pm so no wait, but half an hour later, the place had a line out the door. I think this place is a little over rated, but it's good authentic ramen.
People thought this was:
Finally got to try this ramen place that everyone keeps telling me about. Not bad at all, but not… Read more »
I just went there today with a bunch of friends. I was actually surprised and really enjoyed it. I have never found a great ramen place in America that could compare to my experience from Japan, but by coming here... I found it.
It was good, simple, fulfilling, everything you want in a meal.
The only problem I had was their pricing because I did feel the price could have been lower. I had to pay around close to $10 because I got a pork flavor ramen with an addition of a hard boiled egg and for making it spicy. Kinda expensive.
Then again I am a cheap Asian.
Besides that this place was great and I recommend to check it out.
Came here for lunch with Oppa on Sunday(11/1/09). Right when we pulled into the parking lot, there was already a line outside. 0.0 It was my first time here, so I was a bit amazed there was a line on a sunday afternoon for some ramen. Luckily, the line moved pretty quickly and when you're towards the front of the line you can place your order ^ ^ so once you're seated your ramen is servered shortly. YuMmy~
I'd ordered their Shoyu Ramen with extra bean sprouts. Very tasty indeed ^^ the portion was huge !! haha had to ask Oppa to help me finish my bowl...=x All in all a yummy and fun experince. ^___^
People thought this was:
As good as ramen gets. This is definitely one of my fav ramen joints next to Maru Ichi. Been here numerous times, but never had a chance to Yelp it...
This place is always packed, but the lines move quickly and efficient. You actually order while standing in line, so that by the time you sit down, they serve you your drinks and appetizers soon after! Everything is pretty much a la carte here. But the choices are great, and the quality of the ingredients are definitely there.
We started with their cold tofu, and grilled squid legs.... Tofu had plenty of bonito, and ginger. The squid legs were smoky, and had great texture. My wife and I had the tonkatsu ramen with kimchee, egg, and roasted garlic. The kids split one tonkatsu ramen with egg and roasted seaweed. Loved it... They are very consistent, and I have never been disappointed here.
One thing is for sure... It is definitely not the cheapest ramen place, but you get what you pay for - yummy ramen.
People thought this was:
I had a hankering for some ramen on this cold windy day and didn't want to schlep down to Santouka in San Jose.
With its sainthood status on Yelp (no pun intended), either my expectations were too high or my memory too clouded.
My wait wasn't long at the door, but I waited around 20 minutes to be served. I can understand a delay during the lunch rush, but they could at least have the decency to manage my expectations or give me an update or apologize when they final delivered my order.
The other disappointment was that all the toppings were cold out of the fridge. At the very least, they should be room temperature. To add insult to injury, the boiled egg was over-cooked, under-flavored as well as cold through and through.
People thought this was:
Good, authentic ramen in a slightly up scale locale. Good, but not great especially relative to the… Read more »
I had this looong time ago when the place was still located in the corner of no where. Back then, I thought it was super good, but somehow the last time I came back here, it was different. It tasted pretty normal and maybe too salty, too.
Also, my boyfriend got a real bad stomachache after going here. And plus, there are better Japanese restaurants in San Mateo!
People thought this was:
Dining at Santa Ramen is like Mel Gibon's movie "What Women Want", only it should be called "What Diners Want", because I swear I could predict what is going through everyone's mind in that restaurant.
The patrons include:
1) The ones who have been waiting in line for about 40 minutes - "will you people just hurry up, order, eat, pay and leave?"
2) The ones who was tasked to wait in line while their friends are on their way - "omg where are they? The waitress is coming over to take my order soon and I don't know what to order for everyone! Plus they won't seat us until everyone is here! argg!"
3) The ones who are already seated but haven't been served yet - "its okay, the food is so good I'm willing to wait"
4) The ones who already ordered but waiting for the food to come - "Oh the waitress is coming out with the bowl of noodles. Is it mine? Is it mine?"
5) The couple on their first date. Girl thinks, "I should just eat half of the portion so I don't look like a big eater". Guy thinks, "Errr.. what to say next? Why is service so slow? I need an excuse for this silence..."
6) Family splitting the noodles for their little ones, "Lets get out of here soon, baby needs to change diaper and needs milk".
Why watch the movie when you can literally experience in real life? All poking fun aside, the ramen is, on occasion, worth the wait and starvation. There are 789 reviews on yelp to prove that.
People thought this was:
So what's the big deal?
The meal was good but the hype almost kills it. Katana Ya in Downtown SF is probably their most compared counterpart and I think they're great. But what I ordered there wasn't available here so an a/b test wasn't gonna happen.
When you get there, chances are you will wait. The line is like a fast food joint in slow motion. Patience is key since you'll be watching people enjoy their meals while you're waiting (try not to get all giddy every time a table leaves). When you're near the beginning of the line, the host will take your order so that your food comes out right when you're seated.
Stewed pork seems to be the choice meat here since it always sells out. Fortunately they had it on this night. Instead we were out of luck on the miso broth, which I enjoyed at Katana Ya, so I was stuck with the pork flavored kind. By default, this served with a few pieces of roasted pork on top of the stewed variety I chose as a topping. Obviously, the stewed pork was the standout. It was cooked in a syrupy, oyster sauce-like gravy - very good. The noodles were more top ramen than spaghetti (Katana Ya) which I liked. But the broth left something to be desired. I just didn't think much of it. My friend ordered the soy flavored soup base w/ curry flavor (don't remember the meat). She seemed to enjoy it very much and while it definitely was curry-like, I would've liked it a little more spicy.
All in all, this is a good place to visit for a good, hearty and quick meal. Don't expect to come here, chill and carry on a long conversation - it's not that type of place. They want you in and out. But if you accept it for what it is and don't let your expectations exceed the hype, you'll walk out of here a happy patron.
People thought this was:
I write this review having patronized this place a couple months ago so forgive the vague details.
Honestly, I've had better. To me, the broth was too "porky" tasting. So much so that I questioned whether it was naturally made or made with water and powder. It was thick in the throat and coated my mouth. Ick!
I also don't like their pricing per added item deal. Unreasonable. Plus a freaking per person minimum? Now *that* really sucks as my husband and I like to split one bowl of ramen sometimes. I haven't been since. I frequent Tanpopo more often.
People thought this was:
We were supposed to have lunch with my cousin's family today. My cousins recommended Santa Ramen. They said that it's a really popular restaurant, and their ramen is really really good.
We got to Santa Ramen around 12:30pm. There was a long line of people waiting for seats. My aunt, uncle, and cousins had to be back to the hotel by 2:00pm to prepare for the wedding. After waiting in line for 15 minutes, and the line hadn't moved, they decide to head back to the hotel. Mom went back with them, so it was just my dad, brother & girlfriend, Dr. P and I for lunch. Too bad we couldn't all have lunch together.
I think we waited in line for about 30 minutes. A lady came to take our orders before we got seated. She wasn't that nice. Not friendly, and no smile. My brother and his girlfriend weren't that hungry and wanted to share a bowl of noodle. Without saying anything, the lady just pointed at this small line at the bottom of the menu, "minimum charge of $7.95 per person", which means everyone has to order a bowl of ramen. We didn't like that rule at all.
There are only 3 kinds of ramen at Santa Ramen, soy sauce, pork, and miso. Dr. P ordered Soy Sauce Ramen. He took a sip of the noodle, and immediately said he didn't like it. I tried it, and thought the soup was really salty. I didn't like this one too much, either.
Dad ordered Miso Ramen. I had a sip of the noodle. Again, it was too salty for my taste. The miso flavor was strong, which I liked.
The rest of us ordered Pork Ramen. It was the best one comparing to the other two. The soup was rich, and not overly salted. I like the black ear mushroom. Their roasted pork was quite tender. But still, I wouldn't call this a "good" bowl of ramen. It was just alright.
Maybe Santa Ramen is considered good in this area because they don't have much other choices? We all thought Daikokuya and Santouka were much much better. If these two ramen places open a shop in San Mateo, I don't think people would be crazy enough to come wait in line for Santa Ramen.
Besides the somewhat strange business hours, closing between 2pm and 5:30pm daily, I would say that this is among the better of the Ramen restaurants in the Bay Area, specifically the Pork Flavored Ramen.
If you get there early enough to order their Premium Pork (they often run out), most definitely add that as an item. It is worth the extra $4.50 to at least taste it once.
The service is what you would consider good only at certain times. Depending on their traffic, you may get good, attentive service, or be completely neglected, getting your food, drink, and that's it.
For the most part, whether or not your customer service experience was considered enjoyable, you will appreciate the quality of food there.
Pros : Stew pork ramen is the best. Everything else is just OK, the broth is extremely salty, so if yo don't like salty food, this place is not for you.
Cons: Even they moved from their old location and probably quad tripled the size of the restaurant, there is still a long waiting line, you always feel like you have to rush to finish your meal to make room for other people whom are waiting, this is no place to have a relaxing dinner.
I gave it another try, this place makes me wanna puke my balls out... I could tell the ramen was packaged from some asian brand
never tried such a s h i t t y SWINE FLU RAMEN
service was so bad it's based on race
these white…
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Ate here for the first time today. Don't really get what all the hype is about. Had the recommended Pork Ramen which was good but too salty for my liking. Got there just in time as there was a line within minutes.
Pros: tasty ramen & friendly service
Cons: too salty, small portion size, was rushed to order while waiting for table. All extras ramen items are a bit pricey.
This place is overrated for both taste and value for dollar. I would have been extremely disappointed if I had to wait more then 10-15 min for a table. If you want good Ramen with the best service...check out Ramen Club in Burlingame, CA.
I'm still searching for that bowl of ramen that can rival Ryo in Sydney.
It took me a few weeks, but I finally made it down to Santa Ramen yesterday morning. We arrived at 11.30 and there was already a short line. Luckily, our wait was brief at only about 10 mins.
The menu is small, definitely focused on Ramen. At first glance, the prices for the ramen looked cheaper than other places, then I realized that the ramen does not come with an egg, seaweed, corn or sprouts. It just comes with meat , g. onions and mushrooms.
I ordered a pork broth ramen with seaweed and egg which came to about $10. The broth is definitely better (richer in pork flavor) than other places I've been to in the US, but the difference is slight. The egg, seaweed and mushrooms were all very plain which was very unlike the experience I've had in Sydney. Everything in the bowl had loads of flavor there - the rich and flavorful pork broth, the charcoal and sea taste of the seaweed, the egg had a nice texture and almost tasted slightly cured and the pork was thick, tender, juicy slightly marbled and had a natural sweetness that was really nice.
I was a bit disappointed as I was hoping for more of a "wow, I have to come back tomorrow for this" reaction. I guess I just have to wait until the next time I go to Sydney or Japan.
3.5 stars overall.
People thought this was:
I've tried a bunch of ramen places in the Peninsula and nothing compares to Santa. Yes, the new place is different ambiance than the original but you still can't go wrong with the old standby.....pork flavor with stewed pork.
At 8 pm I was happy that they still had the stewed pork. While standing in line, the lady took our order, by the time we had a table, sitting for 5 mins, the ramen arrived. Perfectly cooked ramen and the pork broth... as good as it gets.
Clockwork Ramen.
I love their pork broth. It's thick and super flavorful. I love adding tons of ginger to the broth. Their stewed pork (for an addition of $4.50) is well worth it every once in a while.
I hate their service, the wait, and the annoying loud kids. Ok, I also hate how if you want to add anything to the ramen, it ends up costing quite a bit...but I can live without corn and eggs :(
Santa Ramen was so much better in quality taste when they were still in San Mateo downtown around B street. Santouka in Saratoga Mitsuwa and Katanaya in San Francisco is much better
People thought this was:
I live too close to Santa to hate it so much.
We've been back a few times in the past months, and I'm starting to like it bit by bit - especially after trying several other ramen joints in the area. The ramen as a whole is still heavy, but the broth (both shoyu and miso) is tasty. The noodles are cooked just right, at least for me.
I don't agree with the boiled egg costing $1.50, though. It's not even flavored (ajitsuke) egg...but a plain egg that I could bring from home.
One thing that will probably never improve is the WAIT. It's a pain both before and after being seated as they can only make six servings at once...
Bumped up to 3 stars, but my most favorite is still HIMAWARI.
People thought this was:
The wise man once said: "there is no such thing as a perfect ramen, since what is perfect to me is… Read more »
I don't know why we decided to have ramen on one of the hottest days ever, but it was worth my bum getting all sweaty sitting in the seat, getting a wedgie in my skirt, and having my crossed legs stick together with sweat.
Initially it seemed kinda expensive, with the base price not including too many toppings, so you needed to add a bunch of additional toppings. I guess I was assuming that each topping, like other ramen places, would be like 2 pieces. B/c it looks prettier that way. It's so very japanese. So very minimalist.
But no, the toppings were HEAPED on a massive bowl containing a mass of noodles w/ a thick, tasty broth. This ain't no minimalist Japanese ramen. This is Americanized Japanese ramen. As tasty as Japanese ramen, but portioned for American appetites. I ate half and took the other half home. Yes, the noodles absorbed some of the soup when I had it for lunch the next day, but it was still amazingly delicious and not soggy.
So worth the sweaty crotch and wedgie.
People thought this was:
Love this place. The ramen is amazing. The only real problem is the long wait to be seated. They do move you quickly through the line, however. Worth the wait.
We finally had a chance to try Santa Ramen after weeks of wanting to try it but didn't want to drive that far :p and the verdict is it's just A-OK... definitely overrated imo.
Pros:
-Food came out very quick
-Size is ok
Cons:
-So stingy with the broth
-Taste is ok, not as good as the hype.
-Price .. with 3 extra toppings my husband's bowl came out to be $16.
Oh and.we were asked for our orders before we were even seated.. it was our first time for all of us, so we were so confused. .. hello can you seat us first and give us a few minutes to look at the menu?
I'll stick w/ Maruichi or Halu Ramen now .. will try Ajisen Ramen next.
This place used to be super high-maintenance. I went a couple times a few years ago but hadn't been able to swing it since. Here's how the workback schedule used to go:
- They open at 11:30am for lunch.
- They only have about 10 seats, so if you're #11 in line, someone has to eat their whole meal before you sit.
- They take your order while you're in line.
- They make one vat of each type of broth, so if they run out, you're out of luck.
All of these factors meant leaving my office at 10:45, which meant skipping out early from my first meeting of the day to go to lunch. Required a pretty good reason...
The ramen? Super fatty broth, you can see it floating around in there, and like many not-so-healthy foods it translates directly to flavor. Yum. I had the curry ramen and tasted the other broths, and for years, I've been nursing this memory of delicious ramen that was just slightly out of reach.
Last week, we tried out the new location for a coworker's birthday. Didn't have to leave the office until 11:30, but it was a serious "we must be in the car now" corralling. The place is about 4 times bigger, the size of a normal-sized small restaurant, and there is still an airport-security-style weaving line setup out front. We got in just in time with our party of 7. Ordered out front but pretty much got a seat right away. If we'd left a few minutes later, we would've been waiting in that back-and-forth line.
The ramen? Still curry, still yummy, still visibly fatty. But we all agreed: not as good as the hyped up memory. Is it because we had to earn it before? Maybe. Would I be more likely to come back than before? Probably.
Dear Santa,
This Christmas I'd like a new car (hybrid of course) and a good bowl of ramen to warm me up over the cold winter.
Thanks,
Kyrk
Santa's Response:
Kyrk,
You've been bad this year, you're gettin a used Jeep and have to eat sludge from my restaurant in San Mateo.
- Santa
Seriously, I don't get the love that people have for this place. Their noodles are overcooked to the point of being mushier than baby food, and their broth. THAT BROTH. I imagine that this is what drinking tar is like. It seriously falls into that murky (hah) middle ground between being a solid and a liquid. In my most recent venture here last weekend to prove to a friend how bad this place is, I ordered the Miso flavor with corn, bamboo shoots, and boiled egg. My friend got Miso with toasted seaweed, garlic, and an egg. Our bowls came out at the same time but my Chashu was cold and "broth" was lukewarm while his was of a decent temperature. Mine also came with way more noodles than his did even though I didn't order extra noodles, but hey more food for free ain't bad I guess....The toppings were whatever, nothing great, although the boiled egg was super cold too. The whole ramen deal they're trying to sell is just gross. We also got a order of Chicken Karaage which wasn't bad. Call me crazy, but I'd say the karaage they sell at Suruki's is a lot better than Santa's.
As for the new location, it's a bigger space and waiting time has gone down accordingly which is good for those of you who are willing to eat here. I for one am not, and won't be coming back here again unless someone else is paying.
People thought this was:
When my friends heard I had moved to San Mateo, Santa Ramen was the place they asked me about most. This restaurant, no relation to Mr. Claus, was generating some great expectations.
I finally had dinner here after about a month after having moved. I can't say my expectations were exceeded (perhaps they were set artificially high), but I was not disappointed either.
The broth (I ordered the miso ramen) is too thick and creamy for my taste (I'm more of a lighter, clearer broth kind of guy), but the noodles had a nice consistency to them -- not too soft, not too firm.
The real winner here is the optional toppings you can add to your order. The miso ramen already comes with pork, nori (just one strip!), scallions and bean sprouts, but I also ordered kikurage mushrooms for $1.00 more. They were a nice, chewy addition.
I'm not quite sure why more ramen shops don't offer additional toppings like this. It "personalizes" the order more for the customer, and the restaurant gets you to spend more (at two toppings, you're already at a $10.00 bowl of ramen).
Service is a little slow here (and it was only a Thursday night), but one of the waitresses is a redhead who speaks Japanese (to the other Japanese waitresses). Props to you, Red!
People thought this was:
Finally found a contender to Santouka's fantastic tonkotsu broth in Santa's creamy, porky broth that comes piping hot to the table. Santouka's I found rather rich, but it's characteristic of this style of broth. Santa's was maybe a tad less rich with good amount of umami, very porky.
Noodles were nice and firm but softened as they sat in the broth. Toppings in the default bowl were on the meager side (pork, seaweed, and scallions) but the kimchi i ordered on the side was excellent with the perfect ripeness. The roast pork was good but it's hard to beat Santouka's buttery pork. I hear the stewed pork is the thing to get here though.
People thought this was:
Yuck! The soy sauce ramen was overly salty with a nasty egg yolk taste in the broth. Pork and pickle vegetable on top of the noodles were cold. The noodles did not taste fresh. It lacks the al dente bite that fresh quality noodles have. Miso ramen was slightly better only because the miso covered up the taste of the broth. And why was the miso broth so spicy?
Santa Ramen doesn't even deserve one star. The ramen is disappointing and the service is no better. I go to Katana-ya any day over this place.
People thought this was:
This is what my bowl looked like:
- Pork Broth (don't miss this part! you must get the pork broth here!!)
- Bamboo Shoots
- Fried Garlic (i'll skip this next time)
- Stewed Pork (I'll skip this next time, it was delicious but I was too full!)
Next time my bowl of ramen won't be $16. Haha...
I think it's interesting how they take your order at the door and assign your seats ahead of time.
The restaurants smelled a little too strongly of bathroom cleaner but when I started devouring my ramen, I quickly stopped noticing. :)
People thought this was:
DERICIOUS!!!
This place falls short of 5 stars because the ramen noodles aren't the best quality wise and they way they cook it. The noodles are al dente, but I like mine soft, not chewy and hard.
BUT the Pork flavor broth is soooo good!! The best broth I have ever tasted from a ramen joint!! Watch out for the roasted pork if you don't like fatty meat. The roasted pork is marbled with fat and wasn't very appetizing. However, the broth is so good I just ate that and the noodles. I will be back :)
Even though I'm just a generic white girl, I've been guided here by several friends who have had japanese ramen, and know that this place is authentic. Love the broth, the stewed pork add-on, and the chicken karage (spelling?), hate the wait... but you know what they say - hunger is the best seasoning :)
and patience is a virtue. or something.
whatever, YAY SANTA RAMEN!!
(from August of 2008)
A Japanese girl was tending to the people waiting in line, finding out the number of people in our parties and also giving us menus to browse through beforehand. I find more Japanese people in San Mateo Japanese restaurants than north bay area Japanese restaurants. We waited through and ordered our ramen.
Ramen from Santa Ramen was really good. The texture is strong and smooth, which is why they boast that they make their own noodles there. The ramen was highly customizable, where you had many ways to add to your bowl. Start with the soup, and add whatever you liked. I added kimchi and an egg to my shouyu ramen. It was good, and by the time we started eating, we were getting hungry. The 30 minute wait wore us down. There are some sides, but were didn't find them appetizing enough to try out. We finished and when we were about to go, the line to get in was wrapping around the corner. Word of mouth must have spread fast.
All in all, Santa Ramen is a great place to try, but don't go when you're hungry. You will collapse from the wait. With toppings, a bowl of ramen can get up to $10 easily. Now you're wondering, "is it worth $10 for a bowl of ramen?" That's something you'd have to conclude for yourself. But if you already tried ramen from Japan, you know how bad the yearning for the real thing can be. Santa Ramen might be the closest thing to it.
Ah finally! After my buddy Roland C., the ramen guru, mentioned this place and let me know that it was so close to my office, I had to venture down and give this place a try. Walked in and it was decently busy but also plenty of seats to chose from. Maybe it's because this place is bigger than the usual ramen spots we go to in SF.
Everyone has been raving about this tonkatsu broth and the stewed pork. I had to go with that order for my first time here right? The dish came out I went to town! The noodles were interesting. I don't know what it was about it, but they were definitely different from the other places I've been to in the city. The mushrooms were a great compliment and man, that broth was sooo grub! I think I finished off the broth before Rolando got a chance to take his first sip. The stewed pork was reallly reallly good! I thought it would be pork overload with the tonkatsu broth, but it wasn't at all. wow. I don't really know what else to say. Actually, i do...I don't know if I would pay $4.5 all the time just for that, but I'm glad I had the chance to experience it.
My bowl ended up being about $12 which is on the pricier side of ramen, but it was a goood ramen night.
People thought this was:
Been here several times before but never remembered to write a review, lol. The ramen is good. I don't think it's as amazing as people say.
Miso Ramen - Mines was already spicy even though I didn't order it spicy. I like spicy. =] But the soup was kind of bland the last time I went, compared to the other times. Maybe that was just a bad day or something. Noodle was cooked well, not too soft.
Karaage - (Soy flavored fried chicken). The batter used was really flavorful but the chicken didn't seem to be marinated at all. Gamey taste.
Grilled Squid - This was good. I'm not a big fan of grilled squid, but Santa Ramen grilled it perfectly.
Service is fair. There's typically a really long line, especially at lunch time.
this place is a little overpacked and overrated. and the staff is... nonexistent. The owner is probably trying to gain as much money as possible cutting back on wait staff.. but seriously! no water refill at all. no.. how is everything? no.. would you like some more water? no.. did you enjoy your meal? no interaction at all! literally. the owner should definitely reconsider their customer service if they want to better their business.
ramen is okay. its probably just super packed because its one of the only ramen places around here.. but try oidon next to suruki market! the bowl is definitely more filling. (me, little asian girl, killed entire bowl at santa ramen)
People thought this was:
I'll echo the thoughts of some other reviewers and say that the current incarnation of Santa Ramen is overpriced and disappointing. Himawari in downtown San Mateo is much better if you're looking for some good ramen.
I've been wanting to try Santa Ramen for a few years but never got around to making it over to their former B Street location before they ran out of soup. I always figured that I was missing something and maybe I was.
Today, my son and I were inspired to give their new location off El Camino a try. The line wasn't very long at all and I was really eager to see what all the fuss was about.
I was a bit turned off by the fact that they wanted to take our order while we were still in line but I figured that was just part of the fun. I think, though, that this is simply emblematic of their desire to move you in and out quickly, which is not a feeling that I relish.
We were seated at a table for four, after rejecting a couple of counter seats. After a few minutes we were asked if we would shift to another table for two. Frankly, I can't remember that having happened in a restaurant for many years, and I eat out all the time. Either don't seat us if you don't want to give up that table, or once we're seated let us stay there. After all, there were several tables open that were just not clean. So why not just clean a table? I wouldn't have minded another couple of minutes of waiting.
No one helped us move, which was consistent with the poor level of service that we received throughout our meal. No one checked on us, refilled our tea, cleared the dishes, asked how our meal was. Nothing. And they weren't that busy -- there were several empty (though dirty) tables.
Now, how about the food? Meh. The noodles were fine. The broth was OK. The pork was chewy and had no particular flavor. The hardboiled egg that I order was just that -- an egg. And the price per bowl was about $10 each.
The icing on the cake was when they dropped the check without asking, as we were about 3/4 of the way done with our meal. Again, no one cleared the dishes, asked how we were doing, nothing.
Frankly, I've had better service at In-N-Out.
I spoke with one of the servers before leaving. I asked to speak with a manager and was told that there was no manager (not a good sign). I shared my thoughts with her and she said she'd pass them on.
We won't be going back to Santa Ramen. What a disappointment.
People thought this was:
3.5*
I like this place a lot. Probably the best ramen I have ever had in the bay area. The waitress (asian one) is really rushy when the place is packed... Like this one time she freaking didn't give us anymore water because she wanted us OUT! She specifically said ... in a chinese accent " No more water... please leave! LOOK! *points at line*" okay wtf. Goodbye! I come back here for the ramen, not her rude ass service.
People thought this was:
The ramen here is pretty good. Their noodles don't look/taste like instant noodles and actually have some substance. Nice and chewy. And they have bamboo shoots in the ramen which is always tasty. The pork that comes with the ramen is so-so, as is the broth (I've only tried soy flavor), but it's a decently sized bowl and does the job. There's always been a line every time I've come here though and they've always - except for today - been out of pork flavor.
My one complaint is that they desperately need A/C in there! OK so it's partially my fault for going for ramen on a hot day, but today it was 90 degrees outside and it was probably 90 degrees inside too. It was so uncomfortable I could barely finish my food. I had to go stand in the bathroom for a few minutes to cool down. Not fun!
I HEART you Santa Ramen! Major good eats and totally hits the spot! It's usually packed at lunch and dinner so expect to wait, but service is pretty fast. If you come here, get the Soy Sauce Ramen (add spicy) with braised pork and Kimchi like I did, can't go wrong. It comes with seaweed, bamboo shoots, and green onions. The broth is so tasty and flavorful and the noodles aren't mushy. The braised pork is perfect, so tender and cooked with a bit of fat to enhance its richness. On the average a bowl costs about $7-$8 bucks, decent, but with all the added stuff in my bowl it came out to about $16 bucks which is a bit much for ramen in these harsh economic times. However, big portions and still well worth it! So 4.5 stars from me, you lose a half star Santa Ramen for being a bit pricey and for not doing takeout orders! Thanks Dara for taking me here :)
People thought this was:
San Mateo, CA
Category: Japanese
Burlingame, CA
Category: Japanese
San Mateo, CA
Category: Japanese
San Mateo, CA
Category: Japanese
San Mateo, CA
Category: Japanese
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