We gave Himawari another try after not having the best experience before, and we're really glad we did. Since then, we've been back many times. The staff always greets and seats us promptly, and the service is pleasant, we never feel rushed out. The ambiance is the same as ever: low key with that vintage, funky jazz vibe. Many of the same friendly faces are still working there, just like when they first opened, and they're open almost every day, which makes it easy to come back. The ramen has been consistently good, the noodles always have the perfect texture, the condiments are flavorful, and the broth is rich and satisfying. My personal favorite is the Tan Tan Mein, with its sesame-flavored broth that's rich, mildly spicy, and topped with sprouts and green onion. The snow crab fried rice was also delicious. The karaage is still the best we've had anywhere, we haven't been able to find one like it. The California rolls are fresh and tasty, the gyoza is flavorful, and the Cha-Shu Don, with its roasted pork, egg, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts over rice, is another standout. It just goes to show, sometimes a second chance is all it takes to discover a favorite. read more

Came on a Saturday during dinner time and was lucky to see no wait. Ramen is great and so far the different ramens are good. The service is pretty fast and nice. I love the deco using the vinyl and it's clean and welcoming. I love coming here when I want a nice soupy ramen especially on a cold day! read more

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hidden gem as this is one of my fav ramen places in the Bay Area! the ramen is always so tasty to my liking! and the staff is really kind and quick! read more

It has a warm and comfortable ambiance that makes you feel at ease. The food is delicious, and the portions are very satisfying. What truly made our visit special was the excellent service. Suzanne was extremely friendly, polite, and attentive. We will definitely be coming back. read more

Himawari - California Roll Tuna roll - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Tried a mabo tofu appetizer and the Shiro tantanmen. I wasn't impressed with either dish based on taste. The mabo tofu was a rather large serving for an appetizer and it didn't come with rice. It was also unusually sweet and not spicy or tingly as I was expecting. Thank goodness for the dried garlic, chili oil, chili flakes, and vinegar at the table because I don't think this dish would be very edible without a lot of alteration. I was also unimpressed by the tantanmen. I'm glad the Shiro version uses a pork broth because I wouldn't have tasted any pork otherwise. It also wasn't as creamy, spicy, or porky as I am used to in a tantanmen. There's a tantanmen recipe from Seonkyoung Longest that I highly recommend to try out if you like tantanmen. It's pretty easy and even though the main base is soybean milk, it's much closer to tantamen that I've had in Japan. read more

Himawari - Shiro tantanmen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The food is great and presented well, the service by Julia was 10/10 and she was friendly and suggested great appetizers! The place is very clean and it has a friendly atmosphere! Thank you Julia for your hospitable service! read more

My friend and I went to this place on a Monday night and it was not busy. I really like the vibe of this place, since it's a different feel (more jazzy) than most ramen places. However the ramen was a little underwhelming. I got the Miso Butter corn ramen. It had a lot of corn but the pork was on the tougher side and the broth was on the sweeter side. The sumai was very mid. I wouldn't recommend ordering this appetizer. Overall, would come back here and maybe order a more spicer ramen so there are more flavors! read more

Himawari - Miso Butter Corn Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here a second time recently many years later after the first visit. I was craving the hinodeya clam ramen summer special but wasn't anywhere near one. Came here to try their clam ramen; you get probably a third as many clams and noodles could be more chewy, but the broth was pretty good. I think it satisfied since I had a specific craving. I got five clams in mine while my dining companion got seven clams, so not consistent. The fried calamari app was really good. Service was average. I wouldn't mind coming back because it has a unique offering for the area but there's definitely better ramen to be found. They're like 3.75 rounded up. read more

This restaurant is a San Mateo legacy. This is must come place for ramen and other appetizers. Most ramen places sticks to the same stuff but Himawari serves multiple types of ramen soup and other dishes. Must come if you are in San Mateo read more

We liked the vibes, service, and noodles! I got the miso chashu men and it came out promptly, but I would say it was okay - but the noodles themself were good enough to warrant another try of the restaurant but I'll go with a different order. Seating is pretty packed in so conversations bled together; I bet it would be fun to come during a jazz night. read more

This is our first time to try ramen in downtown San Mateo. We saw many Japanese restaurants there but the one we like had long lines and needed to wait for 45 minutes. Therefore, we decided to try this one and we got seated immediately. There was some weird smell when we walked in, it smelled like bamboo shoots but we don't like bamboo shoots. The place was not small and with some record discs on the wall.. quite different than other Japanese restaurants' decor and they played Jazz music. We ordered 2 orders of deluxe ramen ($18.50) stew pork belly, egg and bean sprouts with regular toppings and we picked the broth in Shio and the one in Miso. Speaking of the ramen, the noodles were a bit different than the one we had and the soup broth (both Shio and Miso) were so salty. The soup broth was quite heavy and also different than regular Japanese restaurants. Either you like it or dislike it. However, we like the stew pork belly. They were flavorful and tender. The other pork slices were mediocre. We also ordered California roll ($8.5) and avocado roll ($8.5) However, the presentation was quite "fusion". They put lime slices on top of the California roll and avocado roll. The texture of the crab meat was so weird. It felt like it had dry tuna so it wasn't smooth at all. It messed up the taste of the crab meat. It wasn't our favorite so I can only give it 3 stars. read more

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I love the retro record bar vibe! The Ramen shop has an intimate feel with cozy, dim lighting. The service was great, and overall I give the ramen a 3.5 out of 5. read more

Himawari - Tonkotsu Ramen Tan Tan Men - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I got the Tonkatsu Ramen: 3/5 The broth, noodles, and toppings are good. I did not like the meat though, it was too rough and chewy. It just tasted really average. The price and portions are good. I also wanted to get the karrage, but it was pretty pricy so I didn't. At the time of this review it was $13, which $1 less than the price of the ramen I got. The atmosphere of the place is nice. They always have some nice Jazz music playing read more

Himawari - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

There are so many great ramen spots in San Mateo, and Himawari is definitely one of the top 4. The menu has create ramen options, including cold ramen. Overall, I like to rate ramen by the following categories - these are my thoughts on Himawari's ramen across these categories: Broth - 4/5 Noodle - 4/5 Ramen egg - 5/5 out of all ramen spots in San Mateo, Himawari's was my favorite! So soft and SO flavorful Overall toppings - 4/5 The braised pork was amazing, the regular chashu was ok. read more

Himawari - Tonkotsu Dx Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I really do like this place and have been coming here for years. My favorite is the tan tan men deluxe! I like the broth and the noodle texture here. I like that they give a generous amount of toppings! The staff is friendly and the wait time moves fast. read more

Food is decidedly average. I got the Tonkotsu Ramen Deluxe. The broth was porky, but beyond that not amazing. The meat was somewhat flavorless, and the egg was effectively just a soft boiled egg. Service was fine, no complaints there. I paid close to 30$ for this, absolutely not worth it. I'd prefer Kajiken or Taishoken at this price point. Or even Ox9, though it's not a ramen place. read more

All the food we ate was really good.. We good 2 types of Ramen. We god 2 types of sides. They were all great. Evelyn our waiter was great read more

Himawari - 2 types of Ramen dishes and some sides - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Good service, ramen flavor was just okay. Nothing too special in toppings, and a bit pricey for the toppings that were given. Char siu and bamboo shoots are included in the price, and everything else is extra read more

Himawari - Char siu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

My friends and I wanted ramen in the San Mateo area and decided to go to this restaurant. It's a pretty small restaurant and was pretty full when we arrived around 6PM on a Thursday. I got the Shiro Tan Tan Men. The ramen was good but nothing special. I added chashu for $4 since it only comes with ground pork. My friends got the shoyu and tonkatsu ramen which were honestly not my favorite. I didn't think the broth was as rich here (especially the shoyu) but the noodles were pretty good. The service is great here but I would not come back if I was craving ramen. read more

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Love this place. It never disappoints. Many great Ramen dishes to choose from along with some great Japanese dishes.

Stopped here for dinner and I thought the ramen was decent, but a couple misses. Service was great, very attentive. Ramen noodle is the thinner style, and I thought the texture of the noodle was great. However the tonkotsu broth lacked a depth of flavor that I was looking for, although the mouthfeel was good, and I wish the bits of pork fat had been strained off the top since I don't find those too pleasant to eat. The added egg was also a bit overdone, so some of the yolk was solidified. Stewed pork was just fine, nothing special. read more

Himawari - Tonkotsu with an egg added - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Just WOW. I've been wanting to explore San Mateo ramen joints, and I'm so glad I landed onto Himawari. It's a small restaurant, but there were tons of open seating when we came in on a Wednesday around 1:00 PM. We ordered the chicken karaage to share, and I got an order of the shiro tan tan men DX. The karaage was the best I've ever had. It was very peppery and flavorful, and I love that they fry it with the chicken skin so you get a nice crunch with your bite of chicken. The shiro tan tan men was also incredibly flavorful and bold, and you can really taste the nuttiness of the sesame paste! The minced pork and pork belly in it was also really delicious and stood out because it had a savory and sweet flavor, which went so well with the broth. The portion size was also huge, and they give out so much meat. First time I've had ramen and was insanely full without finishing. Staff was also friendly and helpful! They were attentive and noticed whenever our water cups were starting to get empty. If I could give this place six stars, I 100% would. Must visit if you love ramen and are in the area!! read more

Himawari - Shiro Tan Tan Men - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Literally one of the best Ramen places that we have ever gone too! Staff is prompt and attentive!, ambiance is fantastic and the owner /manager combo is iconic! Ramen noodle quality is extremely high!!! And the flavors are amazing. Truly a place worth a trip WAY out of your way for. read more

4-stars for taste, quality, service. Service was good. Ambiance was cozy and jazzy on the loud side, yet soothing. Tonkatsu ramen was just right. Salmon fried rice with a side of clear soup was just right too. The soup was an appetite opener. Good choice! 0-star for hygiene due to finding a piece of metal in my salmon fried rice. It's a metal from those metal pot scrubbers. This is very concerning to me. We came on a weeknight and it was crowded but we seated very quickly. read more

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1. Ta-ro Men ~ stewed pork belly, bamboo shoots, and green onions 2. Deluxe ramen ~ stewed pork belly, egg, bean sprouts, and green onions 3. Agedashi Tofu ~ deep fried tofu with bonito flakes 4. Kimchi Himawari is a restaurant located in San Mateo that serves classic Japanese ramen bowls with several broth options to choose from (e.g. shoyu, shio, miso). Workers are attentive, portions are huge, and restaurant decor is inspired by record players! This weather in Bay Area would pair perfectly with ramen from Himawari! read more

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Not usually a ramen person but my bf loves ramen so we came here when all the other ramen places in the area was busy. He got the tan tan ramen and I got the tonkatsu, both very flavorful. The staff were super sweet and welcoming. Good amount of seating inside along the walls. read more

Himawari - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Himawari is our go to spot for ramen when in the peninsula area. The variety of ramens is nice and they are always tasty. For appetizers we usually get a few rolls of sushi and pot stickers. The restaurant is on the smaller side so there may be a wait during busy periods. On our latest visit, we were seated immediately. The service is very good and the food comes out quickly. Definitely check out Himawari if you're in San Mateo and craving good ramen. read more

Himawari - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Haven't been back to Himawari in years and enjoyed our most recent visit. We ordered a shio ramen and a butter corn ramen, and both were tasty. I would not recommend their unagi roll, which was really expensive, poorly constructed, tiny, and barely had any unagi in it. read more

Felt the need for ramen since it was showering and 50 degrees outside. Parking can be tough dependent on time you come, lots and lots of food spots in the area. Service was mediocre, water never refilled, menu not given until reminded, awful restroom. Decor is old and run down, nothing too special but that's what makes it feel authentic. For $18/bowl (est.2022), there's ALOT of meat and noodles. Not too salty, just right. Wish they had firmer noodles. The extra side order chicken karagee is okay, $4 gets you burnt and dry chicken. read more

Himawari - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I really really wanted to like this place but my ramen bowl made me feel very sick towards the end - the broth had an unpleasant oily texture which didn't sit well in my stomach. We ordered 3 takeout Tan Tan Men and the chicken Karaage which set us back about $55. It was a filling meal for 2 adults and one semi hungry teenagers - so the portions were good but the broth and the ground pork was extremely salty and I am very disappointed with my first take out experience from this ramen place. read more

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Best of San Mateo. The atmosphere, the service, the jazz, and best of all, the ramen, Highly recommend read more

Came here after going to Scandinavian Designs to look at dining tables. It was around dinner time but the restaurant wasn't that pack and we were sat right away I got the Shiro Tan Tan Men Delux and it was so yummy. It came w three different kinds of meat - ground pork, chashu and pork belly. The broth is very tasty and thick. The noodles are bouncy. The service was fast and friendly. They also have condiments that you can add to your ramen - the fried garlic is a must! read more

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This ramen was very good. The egg is an extra cost though. -1 star because I found the soup a tad salty but it was still very flavorful. This place is a small shop with some street parking nearby and a garage about a block away. Service was quick and efficient with no wait at 1pm on a Saturday. read more

Himawari - Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've been to Himawari on two occasions for dinner and both of my experiences there have been alright. 4/2/22 The first time I came here was with my friend. It was the busy dinner hour 6-7pm, so parking was little tricky in downtown San Mateo. I was able to find street parking; about a 10 minute walk away. The restaurant was almost full when we got here, but we snagged one of the last table for two. There isn't much space between tables, so be prepared to get somewhat cozy. After we were seated, the waitress brought over menus and water cups. Their menu is very unique to me because all of the ramen choices they have are all hand-drawn. Here's what we got: 1. Steamed shrimp dumplings (to share) 2. Chicken teriyaki (hers) + complimentary soup 3. Shiro tan tan men with spicy pork (mine) The soup and steamed shrimp dumplings came out first. My friend said that the soup was salty and could only take a few sips. The dumplings were not made that well because the wrapper came apart very easily and the filling fell right out. It tasted fine, but I would have preferred the dumplings to be whole and more complete. The ramen they use is the thinner egg noodles. The portion size of my ramen was appropriate and it pretty good. I ended up finishing my entire bowl. On the other hand, my friend said that the chicken teriyaki was very bland... 8/7/22 The second time I came here for dinner again. My boyfriend and I originally was going to another ramen place, but they were closing soon so we went to Himawari. This time, we were here later like 8- 8:30PM so parking wasn't difficult. We were seated pretty quickly when we arrived. Here's what we got: 1. Wonton men (mine) 2. Gyoza to share (not pictured) 3. Shiro tan tan men dx (his) Compared to last time, the wonton men was okay. Noodles were the same, and wontons were bland. My boyfriend was unable to finish his shiro tan tan men since he had a stomache (not sure what was the cause, but he only took a few bites), but from the few bites he had he said it was good. Overall, Himawari is a decent place for ramen. They are pretty speedy in seating and bringing food over. I would go back, but I would probably choose the spicy ramen over non spicy ramen. read more

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Had dinner at this small ramen place in downtown San Mateo. The place is small and there's definitely a wait. The ambiance was great..,jazz music was being played. The walls were decorated with album covers from various jazz artists. We ordered the cucumber salad and salmon fried rice to share. The cucumber salad was more on the briny side. Too much salt and not enough tang. The Tan Tan Men Deluxe was nicely spiced but way too salty. The saltiness overwhelmed the broth and permeated the noodles and toppings. Between the three of us, we had no more than just a few bites. The rest was boxed. The Asari Shio wasn't bad. The soup was rich and very garlicky. A bit less garlic and a little umami would have been perfect. The Shio was probably the tastiest of the three. It wasn't overly salty and the broth was rich. It was the only bowl that we finished. I do hope they take control of the heavy handedness of salt in each dish. read more

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Always great food. It's a cute and pleasant location. Good service. Solid and reliable.

Ordered the deluxe Ramen and Tonkatsu ramen plus the chicken karaage. All were spot on and delicious service was quick and efficient. Great job to all the chefs hands-down five stars. read more

Got here just few minutes past opening time in the evening on a cold, rainy day and the placed filled up right after my party was seated. I got the Tan Tan Men with a side of Chicken Karage and egg. It's good tasting Ramen and the service was friendly. I think I'll try the Tonkotsu only Ramen next time as I personally prefer that more. So I'll definitely visit again. Note: not a biggie, they do charge a nominal fee for take out containers for leftovers. So remember to ask for it before asking for the check or make sure to have cash on you. read more

Himawari - Tan Tan Men - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Simple menu, not a lot of space inside, quick service. Shoyu ramen: bamboo shoots gave off way too strong of a flavor, that was all I could taste. The flavor was better after I took the shoots out. Menu said this came with bean sprouts, but my sprouts were missing! Couldn't be bothered to let the servers know, but it made me a bit sad because that's what I was looking forward to. Chashu was like dry rubber. So tough, not very chashu-like. Deluxe ramen: pork belly was better than the chashu; Came with 3 pieces. Egg was good. Portion size on the smaller end. Ate just the ramen and feel a little more full than "satiated." Shoyu broth is light, and I don't feel heavy and gross after eating. Probably won't come back. read more

Himawari - Deluxe Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The food here is always delicious and they never disappoint. The servers are always friendly as well. Been coming here for many years and so glad they made it through the pandemic. I even did take out throughout the pandemic. Went for take out today and the order was ready in no time. My fave items are the agadashi tofu, chicken karage, and the shiro tan tan min deluxe. I also enjoy the fact that they always have old school jazz records on the walls and in the background music. Every one that I've taken there ends up becoming a big fan. read more