The super ramen is really good ! Karaage chicken was also very good !

Sooooo good. Make sure you arrive early before the lunch rush. But it's totally worth the wait if you do get their later!!!

Great service, nice focused menu, and the ramen was delicious. I'll be back

Amazing food and good service. Fast turnover for the tables as well considering we went for dinner time.

Been here countless times over the years. Best ramen in San Mateo area for us

Always have lines. 30-40 mins last time we went. But the food is good

Efficient staff and delicious food! Indoor, outdoor, and to go options available.

+1

Had the classic pork ramen and it was delicious. One of the top 5 best I've had.

I've had better ramen in LA for less of a wait, but Ramen Parlor is one of the best in the area, so I can't blame 'em.

The garlic pork ramen was really good! I like the texture of the noodles and the richness of the broth

Cucumber salad jus th way i like it - spicy. Chicken karrage, not too much batter (which i like), I used th salad dressing to dip. I got th pork belly ramen - make sure u order Xtra noodles, th reg portion doesn't hv much noodles. Ramen had good flavor; noodles was jus right - not too soft. Service was attentive n quick

The employees were very casual and nice to the customers and the ramen was super good 10/10🤩.

Quick service and yummy ramen (ordered the classic ramen with garlic pork flavor). I wanna go back again.

Very savory lobster garlic donkotsu ramen. The softshell crab is to die for. In terms of ramen this may be my new favorite

Best ramen that I've been able to find in the Bay Area yet. Great broth options, and delicious appetizers to go with the ramen. Well worth a trip. They do have long lines though and start turning away customers when they run out of broth. So be prepared to arrive early. Over time, that have added novel flavors for their broth. Give those a try. They are well worth it

Umm delicious ramen. Lobster garlic pork ramen was top notch!

Ramen parlor is always a good choice the food is awesome they're trying to revamp or add more selections to their menu. I especially love that this particular spot has its own parking lot and it's away from the strip. Yuki is always Pleasant so is his staff! I definitely recommend this spot if you want simple Ramen!

Love the vegd ramen here! Others love the non-veg options too.

I must share this place with Japanese. If you want to have good ramen in bay area, I recommend here!! I ate everything even soup.

I have tried ramen all over the bay area but nothing can beat the taste of pork tan tan mein here! I been going there for past 5 years now, prices have gone up like everything else in bay area but still worth it.

Love their soft crab ramen, very good!

Best Ramen soup in San Mateo! Be ready to wait in line. There is usually a long weight. The place is very small.

Unique lobster broth and delicious soft shell crab! So so good. Must try if you were in the area

My FAVORITE place for ramen. Love their lobster garlic pork flavor ramen - Delicious!! Noodles are cooked perfectly - i have never had undercooked or over cooked noodles. The soup base is flavorful but not overwhelming. You can taste the sublte flavors of the toppings and any sides you order. The deep fried soft shelled crab they put on top is delicious. I recommend getting there a bit before opening - there usually is a line BUT worth the wait! The host is polite, professional, quick and knows the rotation of the restaurant and how to minimize your wait time. Parking lot has approx 12 parking stalls + 1 disability parking stall. Street parking also available. Popular place for families at dinner and professionals during lunch.

I am quite surprised how they can make ramen with lobster and soft shell crab at this price. The food is quick and the quality is decent. I enjoy bold and rich flavor of ramen and this place can deliver. The karaage portion is filling. This is another place I can rely on.

hands down, still one of the best ramen shop I had. +1 I love soft-shell crab +1 I love the rich flavorful lobster garlic broth +1 I love my ramen noodle al dente +1 I love quail eggs as toppings, not too many places has these I learned to appreciate Hakata ramen when I moved to LA for work, but this is still my go-to spot coming back to SFbay. service is great as always, and the COVID-19 protocols are in place now for dine-in!

Very nice little ramen shop. Tried their soft shell crab ramen and it was delicious! The ramen noodles were al dente and the broth was dense with warmth. Wished that it was a bit more spicy for their "spicy" but good quality ramen at competitive prices. Nice area with good parking. Good for table of 1 or 2 or small group. Enjoyed the food thanks

Great ramen! The set was great, however I think it was way too much food for lunch as a set. I guess that's a good thing!

+1

Always a pleasure to be here! My family has been coming here for years and their food and service has never wavered in outstanding quality, if anything it’s gotten better! Their soup base is one of the best in San Mateo and I’m a big fan of their takoyaki. Recommend to anyone looking for good ramen in the area!

Yummy! Tips: The waiting time is approximately 45 mins after the store open. You could line up there at 11am, they open at 11:30am, so your waiting time is less than 30mins. :) Also, eat quickly after served. The food texture will be changed by time.

The staff was very accommodating and pulled out tables and chairs for us to sit outdoors. My dog was with me and they offered him water. The basic ramen was flavorful and best part was the fresh noodles. They had a good strong bite to them. Would come again!

Great ramen place, good food, excellent service! Food ordered: Crab spicy miso ramen + Chicken Karaage + Excellent service! Welcoming, polite, and attentive. + Good toppings. I particularly enjoyed the soft shell crab. The variety is good but the quantity is just enough for me to think it's not too little. + The noodles are good. Seems like store bought, but they cooked it well, Al tante. * Chicken Karaage is just okay. Instead of dipping sauce, everything is in one dish, which made the freshly fried chicken saggy really quick. The breading is a little dry too. Overall, I like Ramen Parlor more than Ramen Dojo (same owner?). Ramen Dojo has a more intimate vibe, but Ramen Parlor has better food.

Some of the best ramen I’ve tasted! Delicious broths, flavorful, spicy, and most come w a fried soft shell crab. I added an egg and mushrooms but took out my pork and my friend kept his. The noodles are perfect, the ramen just taste all around perfect and made with love. Not a lot of parking and this place gets packed. Ppl will line up before it opens outside. It’s that good! They have a list on door to sign up on. You get food pretty fast.

UPDATE 2020/11/06: Miss you folks and your crab ramen dearly. I'd love to dine in but I don't feel safe about dining out during a pandemic. Hopefully you folks will still be in business when the virus clears out. /This/ is the ramen that I am willing to wait in line for! Tasty lobster broth and soft-shell crab are a great match; never a dull meal here. As someone who lives in the South Bay, this is a nice retreat while waiting for 101 traffic to clear out.

I got the lobster miso ramen (with corn) and it was fantastic. It included hands down the most flavorful pork I've ever tasted and the soft shelled crab was great too. This place gets really crowded but they have seating down to a science and they start cooking your food before you are seated. We waited for about 30 min and unfortunately they do not have a place to sit while you wait.

One if the best ramen I've tried in the area. Had the lobster pork garlic broth. The broth is super flavorful and the noodles were just the right consistency. The soft shelled crab is a nice touch.

Ordered the lobster ramen with pork. First time having ramen topped with soft shell crab, and it was absolutely delicious! Place was immediately filled upon opening on a Thursday, and the server was taking orders of people in line before opening so everyone would get their food faster - a nice touch in my opinion.

My favorite Ramen shop when I’m in the Bay Area it’s is a must try. Been going here since 2017. I’ve always get the lobster pork Ramen , just wish the spiciest level was about 2 more levels of heat. Love the soft shell crab inside as well , I can always eat 2 bowls.

Sailesh Yellumahanti

Happened to visit Ramen Parlor with the family. All of us loved the place. You have a super friendly owner and the ramen was awesome. Get the ramen with soft shell crab and you will get hooked! Arguably this is the best Ramen I had in the Bay Area!!!

keyko Ruiz

I love this restaurant. One of my favorite restaurants to get ramen. There is plenty of parking too.

Mary N

Lobster garlic parlor ramen for the win! Still as good as I remembered from when I used to live in San Mateo. Yummmmm. The service is amazing as well. It's the same person from 5 years ago!

Loloni Danozeya

Had dinner here. There was a number of people waiting outside.turnover was fast, did not have to wait long. Got seated & ordered our ramen soups. Delicious, fast service. Highly recommended..

+2

Andrew Ramirez

The lobster garlic pork broth with fried soft shell crab was outstanding. One of the best ramens I’ve had.

Wei-Ai Tai

One of the best ramen places on the peninsula!! Great flavors in the soup, perfectly cooked pork slices, and wonderful noodle texture. Garlic pork ramen is a must try, and having its own parking lot makes a big difference.

Rahul Gupta

Best ramen in the Bay Area. I’ve been coming here for years and it’s never lacked flavor, richness, and service. You feel like it’s hearty food, the Pork Tan Tanmen is my favorite but even the vegetarian Miso ramen is super complex in flavor. I hope they expand and I will continue to eat here as often as I can!

Kayla Tai

I love their ramen even after coming here for years. The service is pretty fast, but since it’s a small restaurant it can fill up quickly. They have their own parking lot and a couple outdoor tables. They have different spice levels and good appetizer options. Will be coming back for a long time!

Penny Kai

Absolutely great food and great service. Nice options on the menu and right level of spice and broth to noodle ratio. I added kimchi on the side and added veggies to my toppings. Just the right balance. Attentive and polite service. Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions because our server was spot on. Medium was perfect level for us. It’s always easier to add later than try to remove spicyness. Go mild if you’re not used to spicy foods.

+2

Melissa Miller

Your one stop shop for amazing fresh ramen! I can see why this place is so popular. My husband and I came around 6:45pm on a Saturday evening; we were a little nervous at first because we saw quite a line standing outside. Thankfully, the wonderful people who work here are extremely professional and know how to manage the dinner rush perfectly. We waited maybe 10/15 minutes before being seated, quickly had our order taken, and our food came right out. Even receiving the check and paying was seamless. Since we are new to eating here we didn’t know to put our names on the waitlist on their door on the inside until some regular customers informed us; but no big deal we would have eventually figured it out. Overall, extremely delicious food, phenomenal service, and cool aesthetic; highly recommend!

Julia Basina

This is the perfect place to satisfy your ramen cravings! They have vegetarian options available as well. We ordered the Lobster Garlic Pork Ramen, Classic Pork Ramen, and Vegetable Curry Ramen. All were delicious and had a deep, flavorful broth. Very satisfied!

Owen Liou

Haven't been here for a while. Came in to check out Ramen tasted the same. And it is the same great taste as I remembered. Service is better then my previous dinning experience. Highly recommended.

+2

This place was worth the wait. After the 30 minute wait for our table, we were greated by our order about one minute after sitting, they run this place pretty smoothly and organized. While you're waiting in line, someone comes out to take your order- what a great idea! I ordered the Lobster Garlic Pork flavored Ramen, it was DELICIOUS! My hubby ordered the 🦀 Miso medium spicy and it too was delicious but I preferred my dish. I will be back soon!

excellent quality ramen. different broths than many other local places serve. soft shell crab is amazing here! ALWAYS A WAIT. seriously, always. usually order outside while you wait, helps the line go faster, but it's a weird experience. hard to order anything extra once you're in the door, the staff isn't that helpful since they're always packed.

Lobster garlic pork noodles - I was expecting lobster pieces? Soft shell crab gave it a nice salty seafood taste. The noodles are kind of thick. It got softer as time went past. The quail egg yolk didn’t taste creamy. The pork slices were thin. Broth is very flavorful, almost too over powering. I was thirsty all day and hungry 2 hours later. Though it’s still delicious, I wouldn’t wait over an hour for this.

Ramen still yummy. The price has increased alot since the last time I eat.

The lobster garlic soup base was fabulous. The soft shell crab was a bit over fried, but otherwise it's one of the best ramen places around.

Decided to try a new ramen spot. Went here and got the spicy garlic pork ramen, and it was really good. It came with half an egg and chashu pork. The broth was creamy but not too heavy. My only complaint was that my water never got refilled and no one ever really came to our table. Other than that, that was a really good place, and I would go back. They also have their own parking lot with lots of parking.

One of top ramen restaurants in San Mateo. Their ramen is very authentic, from what my friend said who visited Japan and for me the broth and noodles were delicious. More food stuff @vin.foodjournal

Their spicy garlic pork ramen is solid. The soup is just a touch on the thin/watery side, but the flavors carry punch, the pork belly is tender and yummy, and the noodles are springy and cooked well. And at $14 a bowl, a meal here is very reasonably priced. They also have a signature lobster ramen, if you want to try something a little different.

Quite decent ramen. Have unusual combinations (pork and shrimp). Service is fast and friendly. Gets really crowded, so be ready to stand in line. Can fit a stroller inside if folded. They have high chairs. Parking is limited but can park on the street no problem. Take a walk around San Mateo downtown afterwards, it’s right there.

Ramen Parlor has been one of my longtime go-to spots in San Mateo — especially for their lobster miso ramen, which I’ve been ordering for years. The flavors are still solid and the broth has that rich seafood depth that makes it stand out from other ramen shops. That said, I do feel like the dish was better a few years ago — the broth had more complexity and the overall presentation felt a bit more refined back then. It’s still good, just not quite the same standout it once was. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is casual and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit if you’re craving something different from the usual tonkotsu or shoyu ramen — especially if you haven’t tried their lobster miso bowl before.

Pork tan tan ramen with black garlic oil was decent, a bit too salty. The noodles were medium thickness and just a little overcooked (I like mine QQ). The chashu was mediocre, but the egg was great. Portion size was good. I came here after seeing it recommended by a Bay area chef on sfgate. I probably won't go back since it's not near where I live or work, but it was definitely worth a visit.

Went on a Friday for late lunch around 1:30pm, there was no line. Had the garlic pork flavor ramen medium spicy. Delicious, and medium spicy was spicier compared to Ramen Dojo medium spicy.

The waiting was not that bad for us on Sat from 5:15 to 6 pm before we got our table. We also got a parking spot in the parking lot (very rare)

We queued for 45 minutes to get a seat, but the food was worth it. They're obviously used to the long queues as they have a very efficient system in place of ordering your food before you get to your seat. The food arrived within minutes of sitting down. It was a large portion and very tasty.

Pretty good ramen in my opinion. The とんこつ ramen was decent, but if you get the spicy option, the spice is kind of added as an afterthought

+4

Arrive early to get seated. Large parking lot so parking is easy, especially for San mateo. Ramen itself was solid, I asked for level 3 spice and it still felt underwhelming. My friends also enjoyed their appetizers. Service was fast and polite.

This is one of my go to ramen joints. The flavor of the soup is always spot on and the noodles are the right chewiness. The price is going up, like everywhere else in the Bay Area, but the juice odd still worth the squeeze. If you are in the area, check them out. Ramen Dojo the block over is also just as good if this place is too slammed to take any dinners in.

Lobster soup is delicious. And the soft shell crab is absolutely amazing! I chose the garlic flavor but the soup is not black enough. Wish to have more garlic flavor to it. But overall great experience. Takoyaki is a little too sour with the sauce.

If you’re looking for genuinely good Ramen then this is the place! It’s worth the wait. You’re looking at 30 mins waiting at the door until they call your name. Meanwhile they’ll give you a menu and even take your order so once you sit down your food will already be ready! Don’t come here for a date or somewhere to catch up with a friend. This is pretty much a fast good food ramen restaurant. Enjoy!

Great ramen spot in San Mateo. I got the lobster garlic ramen. There isn’t lobster in there but there is soft shell crab :)

Ramen Parlor’s parking lot is a bit limited but there’s plenty of street parking. Their service was quick and the staff members were extremely polite and kind. It’s a great place for families, date nights or just a hang out! What was ordered: + chicken karaage - fried well as it was very crispy and hot when it arrived at our table. I enjoyed the texture of the chicken but was a little put off by the sauce on the bottom, which made parts of the chicken soggy. + takoyaki - the flavor is perfect for me but I felt it wasn’t crispy enough on the outside and had a bit too much sauce on top. I’d still order this again but would probably ask for less sauce next time. + spicy crab miso ramen - highly recommend this dish! You get the option of how spicy you want your broth (I went with mild) and it was perfect for me. It had a kick of spiciness but the broth was rich and creamy with some garlic flavors. The broth stayed hot throughout my meal and the noodles were cooked perfectly.

Nandinee Kaushik

It used to be a Sunday ritual to go here. Their vegetarian ramen is really good. Maybe im more ocd than others about this, but the server always has her thumb in my broth while she's serving my ramen, which gives me an ick before I start eating. This is the only reason I dont go as often anymore. Otherwise the food here slaps and the vibe is really nice as well

K2papa

Ramen Parlor is a true San Mateo classic! It's been around for decades, and it was fun to visit again with colleagues (some of whom consider it their favorite spot) after about 10 years. The decor felt exactly as I remembered it—very little seems to have changed, which adds a nice layer of nostalgia. I ordered the Super Ramen with the lobster garlic pork broth (great to be able to choose any broth options!). It was certainly a generous bowl, loaded with soft-shell crab, egg, karage, and stewed pork belly. While it was perfectly enjoyable and a great meal with friends, I found the overall flavor to be pretty average compared to some of the ramen I've had in Japan. Price-wise, it felt a little on the expensive side, but that might just be the reality of dining out today. Overall: A reliable, established spot with good portions, though the taste didn't quite hit the "excellent" mark for me this time. Still, a fun, nostalgic experience!

Kate X

We came here after a hike. The restaurant quickly brought together a big table to accommodate our big group of around 12 people, and our orders were served very very quickly right after everyone had ordered. I wanted to get their special ramen which had chicken karaage on top of tonkotsu, but unfortunately they sold out. So I got a lobster broth ramen instead, which came with a few pieces of crispy fried crab. The crab was pretty good, and the soup tasted slightly fishy but not exactly lobster-like. It was a good bowl of ramen nonetheless.

Kiran kumar A

The food was good. This is the first time I had ramen in a proper Japanese restaurant and I liked it. The chicken Karaghi that the spouse had was very okayish. The edamame starter was good. Though it was just boiled and salted, it was yummy. The host helped me how to eat them. That was generous of them because I was struggling to eat it, the way it was served.

R Klinger

Tasty Ramen. Plenty of sides to add. Beer, Sake, Soft drinks available. Parking is limited. Seating is limited so plan to wait during lunch/dinner prime times. Close walk if you are downtown along B streets. Plan to spend avg. $25 per bowl with tax and tip included.

Jason Foard

Besides the food being over priced for the portions served and the 25 minute wait to be seated, it was a good visit. Our meals were very tasty! I had the Garlic with Mushroom Ramen and she had the Spicy Crab Miso. Just spicy enough to be tolerable in my opinion. Also had the Pork Spare Ribs appetizer which turned out to be a little too fatty, oily and pricey for my taste, $8.00?! Food serves quickly and hot! Enjoy..

Waited for 40 mins to get a table. 10 mins before seated, the server took our order. I had the black garlic lobster pork ramen and it was ok. Service was very slow...

The service is great. The "lobster" Ramen has no lobster. It's like some sort of lobster flavored oil. No hint of lobster flavor at all though. It does have a fried soft shelled crab that overpowers everything else. The overall broth is just salty without any distinct flavor it. This dish feels gimmicky.

Service was fantastic, but closer to $40 for ramen and sake I wish I had gone somewhere else. I got their house special mild spicy. Their special thing is a scoop of mushroom and ground pork congee, made it feel Chinese, especially with the bok choy added. It was alright, but expected better passing by San Mateo. Two slices of chashu that had melty fat, but tougher meat. Expecting better quality as well. Egg noodles are okay too, have had fresher. Got an extra ramen egg which tasted nice, and not too overbearing on soy.

I ordered a “soft crab” ramen. I like the flavor that it is very different. The soft crab was very underwhelming. I wish I ordered the normal ramen. I’m not sure if I will come a second time.

Salty(expected) and a bit lacking in topping, don’t have high expectations coming here. The lobster flavoring taste like prawn chips. Service is okay.

Food was 4 stars. Service was 2 stars. My party of 3 arrived on a Friday night around 7pm with about a 5 minute wait. Ramen Parlor has their own small parking lot. We were lucky that some folks were leaving and found front door parking. This was my first time trying this place out after many have provided high praise for this restaurant. The lines were usually too long for me to wait during lunch time on weekends. The food: I ordered the lobster garlic ramen with extra pork and soft boiled egg. It did not come with a soft boiled egg and it was lacking flavor. The broth was flavorful and the texture was what I expected it to be. This is a must try as many other ramen places don't have this exact flavored soup. The quail eggs and soft shell crab that was included was very good. Their prices are slightly above average. Nothing was extraordinary, but definitely worth the trip! The service: We were seated promptly and served quickly. Shortly after ordering, I decided to order something to go for my wife. I asked the waiter to put in a order for me, he didn't understand what I needed. The waitress came by with the same expression on her face. The same waiter came back and asked if I needed something... um yeah, again- just wanted to order take out.. the Asian guy (appears to be the only person that understood English) from behind the counter near the front entrance came by and admonished me for not knowing that to go orders are made when initially ordering. However, he hesitantly took my order. There was no notice from the wait staff or signage stating that these takeaway orders must be taken all at once. I was a little surprised at the lack of customer service as a first time customer. I probably won't be coming back because of the service and there are places with better ramen (and prices) or just as good elsewhere.

Staff and service are great here. However wasn't too impressed with the quality of their food. Their karaage and potstickers were full of processed foods ingredients. Their base soup was also okay nothing to rave about.

+2

Judy Margaret Chen

We had mixed opinions on this one. My husband rated 5 stars, but I disagreed. We ordered 1 crab spicy miso ramen, 1 classic garlic pork soy sauce flavor ramen and 1 takoyaki. The takoyaki was good. The spicy crab ramen was delicious, but my garlic pork ramen was not. It had this weird bad smells of boiled lard, making me lose appetite instantly.

Jason Y

This place used to be much better back then but now it's saltier and not as good as others. Their karaage wasn't fresh and just lukewarm when it came out. It tasted like it was already fried before and reheated. Their soft-shell crab ramen was okay since no one else really has that, but the broth wasn't as creamy and just tasted like salt. Ramen Dojo next door has much better traditional ramen if you like that style more.

Female guarding main entrance is not friendly and she doesn't even smile. Before entering, all members of your party must be present and you have to place your food order before entering.

We are very disappointed. I don't get why this place has such a good review at all. Soup was very salty. The one slice of meat was 40% fat and tasted stale. Noodles are too chewy. The only good thing is the slightly wet yolk in the half egg which makes it look picture perfect. It costs $14, which is over priced. The waiter didn't even bother to refill water. My daughter suggested no tips. We decided to tip $1 per bowl which is the best we are willing to do. As we walked out, the waiter actually came out of the shop pointing out to us the tip we paid was less than 10%. I told him why. He wasn't happy, but accepted it. I hope they pay attention to the real complaints.

Don’t ask what is the key difference between shoyu broth and miso broth. You will be treated like an idiot. Ramen is similar to their sister restaurants - dojo & Santa.

I normally don't leave negative reviews but this place was awful. First, be prepared to spend at least $15.95 per person who wants to sit at the restaurant because the restaurant has a minimum spend. I've never heard of any restaurant with any minimum. I was hanging out with a vegetarian friend who wanted ramen for lunch so we came here. I wasn't hungry so I didn't want to order anything. The waitress insisted I order something because of the minimum spend. I ordered chicken karage and it was awful. It was oily and not flavorful and the cut of meat wasn't particularly appetizing. The veggie ramen my friend ordered was also very meh. The minimum order requirement was pushy and the food was awful. I would never ever go here again.