Masa Ramen Bistro

116

729

4 years ago

It was a rainy day and the perfect weather for ramen - and Masa Ramen hit the spot! Located along University, I was luckily able to find parking along one of the side streets and only had to walk a block or two. Inside, my partner and I were greeted immediately and promptly sat down. Having read the Yelp reviews prior, I didn't hesitate to order the Broke Da Mouth ramen. I also got the lilikoi iced tea (free refills woot woot!). Our 2 bowls of ramen came out pretty quickly. With a spice level of 2, the ramen was a great balance between spicy and umami. I think the proportion was great and I really enjoyed the generous portion of mushrooms! Overall, the broth was not too salty, noodles were a good kind of chewy, and the cheese was a great touch (when it wasn't clumping together). Having just gotten back from a trip to Hawaii, I definitely am returning to try their other Hawaiian menu items. read more

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Breanne S.

226

3 years ago

There is a lot of seating inside and parking is only street parking outside. I really enjoyed the Parmesan cheese in the Broke Da Mouth ramen! We also got the 808 chicken as an appetizer and we enjoyed the chewy mochi texture of the breading. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - BROKE DA MOUTH - Masa Special - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - BROKE DA MOUTH - Masa Special, 808 Chicken, Lolo Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Lolo Loco Moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - 808 Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Nicholas N.

7 months ago

Food was great I got chicken katsu with curry and Mac salad. Dinner of the best latest I've had very light and crispy not super greasy and the curry was also some of the best I've had and I've had quite a bit. read more

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Cee L.

167

2 years ago

So ono! I wish I didn't wait so long to stop by! The ambiance is chill but you can tell the owners put in a lot of thought into the place ....from Nick Kuchars paintings on one wall, to the beautiful wood work of the Islands on the back wall, and of course you can't forget the Instagram-able Life is Better With Ramen Sign and bench! Okay now to the food I had the Broke da Mouth Masa special and Da Kine Chicken. I got the cheese on the side (my lactose intolerant fam understands) but it was still SOOO good! Soup was rich, savory, and umami. The meat was tender, noodles chewy and I loved the crunchy wood ear mushrooms. Oh and the jammy egg was perfect! Da Kine chicken was crispy, juicy, and the breading was tasty. I would have ordered more but this was already our second dinner. I'm already thinking about the next time we go back, def trying the garlic shrimp, curry, katsu, kalbi, mac salad.... oxtail! Okay basically entire Hawaiian menu! You know place is LEGIT when they have oxtail and rice! We go to Hawaii every other month and always come back missing all the ono grinds. So excited to know we can get them at Masa! .....Oh and lastly the owners from Oahu are the sweetest, hard working people! Mahalo Masa! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Da kine! So Ono! - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - BROKE DA MOUTH - Masa Special cheese on the side - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Smrithika A.

263

752

3 years ago

Cute spot with a Hawaiian influenced menu. The broke da mouth ramen is the most popular option with pork broth and Chashu pork. They have a wide variety of options with ode to Hawaiian popular spots. The 808 was also good with a perfect combination of sweet and crunchy. A good spot for lunch or dinner. Street parking is the best option here. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - BROKE DA MOUTH - Masa Special and 808 Chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Matthew C.

195

723

3 years ago

This ramen spot so good that you catch Hawaiian and Japanese vibes. Mixed culture of ramen and Hawaiian dishes. I ordered the diamond Head with mild spice, the pork was tender & soft and the spice level just made my tastebuds crave more. The egg & spam musubi was filling. Plenty of seating inside yet street parking is the only thing that will keep you from trying to find a spot. Located on university ave which is known to be a busy traffic area. Service was good, I can tell it was the woman's first time but we all had those moments before. She did a good job serving. I'd come back to try out the Hawaiian dishes next. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Menu - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - DIAMOND HEAD - Original (Spice level: Mild) - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Spam and Egg Musubi - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Indoor seating - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Tim K.

1 year ago

Craving Broke the Mouth ramen. I like level 3. It's just spicy enough but not enough to make me regret my decision. Paired with the Yuzu Mango lemonade. Service was fast as usual. read more

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Joe S.

239

1 year ago

Best ramen in the Bay Area. Super generous tonkatsu. This place is a cut above other supposedly Japanese restaurants that aren't run by Japanese people. Some very interesting fusion dishes too read more

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Dana U.

1 year ago

We ordered the short ribs...and it was awful. The meat was super tough and unchewable. And we ordered their "signature" ramen which provided extremely small amounts of pork and an un remarkable thin ramen noodle. We won't be coming here again read more

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Jennie A.

Elite 25

121

242

3 years ago

Masa is not for the faint of heart! If you aren't okay with a layer of oil/fat on your ramen, I suggest you look away now. Hawaiian style food tends to be very salty, very sweet, very oily, etc. The don't play around! We got the BROKE DA MOUTH ramen and DIAMOND HEAD, both with some level of spice. I believe the spice is added by way of oil, which would explain the obscene oil levels found in our broth. In terms of flavor, BROKE DA MOUTH was a savory bomb! I do think the Parmesan cheese is an overkill, the broth is so salty you aren't able to get parm flavor, only parm fattiness. It reminded me of Korean shin ramen with cheese a bit. DIAMOND HEAD is just okay if you're a tonkatsu ramen enthusiast. We found it to be a oily and lacked deep bone broth flavor. Overall, we're glad to have experienced the Hawaiian take on ramen. It's worth trying at least once, however I think we've had our fill and will probably find other ramen shops to be our go to. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Clyde C.

Aloha Jennie, mahalo for your review and giving us a try.

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Kristin N.

198

142

3 years ago

Customer service is great, very friendly server. Refilled our waters and took our order promptly. Food comes very fast which is appreciated. At 11am on Sunday there was a small line of people waiting for them to open. The loco moco was very rich and tasty, it was HUGE. Come hungry. The ribs were also a big hit. The miso ramen was a kid favorite. A lovely makeover from the old plearns. Great job, we will be back. read more

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Clyde C.

Mahalo Kristin!!!

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Christina S.

104

264

3 years ago

Listen. Everything we ordered here was top notch on flavor!!! The Broke Da Mouth special was so good it broke da mouth. The spam musubi with egg was crazy good, especially the sauce and perfectly seasoned rice. We also got chicken katsu and oxtail soup, both of which were flavorful and tasted homemade. This place has got the right balance of quality ingredients and homemade taste. Five stars purely for the food~ read more

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Clyde C.

Mahalo Christina!!!

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Kalani J.

1 year ago

I went to Masa for the second time this weekend. Both times, service was quick and friendly. You can tell that there's a high value on quality, both in their food and overall vibe of the restaurant. I got the Diamond Head ramen bowl, it was the exact meal I needed on a cold day :) If you're looking for a place to eat that feels like home, Masa is the place for you! read more

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Sofia M.

106

3 years ago

Doesn't look like much when you walk by but once you get in and get your food...very warm feeling and delicious! It's in an area where there are many restaurants to choose from. We heard that this place was delicious. The Hawaiian taste and vibe did it for me. As I have mentioned many times before...customer service is so important to me. It is crucial! This place not only was delicious, but the owners were hard at work and so friendly. As busy as they were, they always had time to come check on us with a smile. I loved it here. It makes complete sense why they are so busy.... their food is flavorful and their customer service is beyond noteworthy! I would certainly recommend this place to anyone! You won't be disappointed! We loved it here! Definitely will be back! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Full house for this delicious food! - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Special Mango Lemonade - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Ribs - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Brussel sprouts - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Mochiko chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Jackie one of the owners - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Ox tail soup - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Clyde the owner - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Emeric Kaye G.

3 years ago

Ambiance is a vibe. Food was okay. I didn't get the "best seller" ramen but my ramen was good but wish it was more flavorful. The loco moco was good, the egg was just right & the plate was flavorful! The potato salad was yummy too. We ended up getting our fries last, and it was my favorite order of the meal. The fries had a hint of spice! I recommend getting the yuzu aioli sauce with it! Extra star for our serve Nikki, she was very sweet and nice, so thank you Nikki!! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Life is better with Ramen - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - KUNI - Black Garlic - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Manini Fries with yuzu aioli, ketchup, sriracha mayo & ketchup - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Phil T.

426

407

597

3 years ago

We dropped into Berkley for a few hours on a Thursday night. Thankfully we got in just in time to order and eat before the 9 pm closing time. Parking is a challenge (duh). At first I was thrown off by the pin on the map. It turns out it was a few doors down from the Berkeley Hot Tubs. The video was great with some island vibes. Since it was getting later, the place was almost empty. We ordered right away (to make sure the kitchen could shutdown). The ramens were amazing. TOP NOTCH FLAVORS. The broth is rich. The egg is perfect. The pork had a little char and a smoky flavor. The menu said three pieces of pork and there were only two, but they were pretty large. The noodles are f4esh and custom made by a local vendor. This place is great! One of the best bowls of ramen I've had in a long time. read more

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Clyde C.

Aloha Phil! Big mahalo for the review!!! Glad you like our ramen.

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Irene L.

Elite 23

327

783

124

3 years ago

My girlfriends and I stopped by Masa Ramen Bistro after an empowering self defense class - we were ready for carbs! We had decided to walk over to Masa Ramen Bistro after the class and we are glad we did - there is only street parking and it's hard to come by! And, thankfully we came when they weren't completely busy. They don't take reservations, so, if you happen to stop by when they're busy, you'll have to wait. The restaurant is adorable. We had to take a picture by their "life is better with ramen" backdrop. We ordered: spam and egg musubi, egg musubi, braddah brussels, manini fries, and ramen, of course! For ramen, we ordered broke da mouth, miso hungry, and no-ka qi oxytail ramen! Everything was delicious! Our waitress was excellent. We were accidentally delivered our neighbor's order, but it ended up being a non-issue - we made new friends and got recommendations on what to order for next time! Will definitely be back! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Miso Hungry - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Hannah J.

107

181

3 years ago

Solid ramen near campus. Place is decent, they have neon lights on one of the walls as a statement piece. Got the diamond head ramen since I wanted good old ramen. The broth was super rich and garlicky, flavors were complex. Soon enough you notice a layer of fat forming on the surface of the broth. The meat was also pretty fatty. The egg was jammy and delicious. My friend ordered the loco moco, which was huge. Tasted great too. This can be eaten for 2 servings since they give you a lot. Service was good, food came out pretty fast! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - DIAMOND HEAD - Original - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Kelly L.

Elite 26 All-Star

380

701

3 years ago

Came here for dinner on a Sunday. Seated quickly and we ordered the shrimp plate, kalbi rib plate, katsu plate, squid leg appetizer, spam musubi with egg, and two iced teas. Everything was good and service was great. My favorite was the shrimp plate. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Kahuku Style Shrimp - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Chicken Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Clyde C.

Much Mahalo Kelly!!!

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Rob M.

2 years ago

Broke da mouf! Excellent food, great service! Best ramen noodles Ive had in California. Kids loved the Masubi. My friend got the ox tail soup, it was rich and flavorful, HUGE portion. Curry Katsu was also . When you go get a shave ice! Just like shave ice in Hawaii, looked like they have the professional machine. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Artists rendition of our delicious ramen and Masubi! - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Clyde C.

mahalo

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Nina L.

177

2 years ago

I ordered the KUNI Black Garlic Ramen for take out. The broth was so delicious! I like how they packaged the food for takeout. Everything was expertly packed and wrapped. The noodles and soft boiled egg were cooked perfectly. I'm always skeptical when ordering soup for takeout or delivery because it's never hot enough once you receive it. But I popped the broth in the microwave before pouring into my bowl and it was so yummy. I also ordered a spam musubi and it was also a very delicious snack. I am looking forward to trying other dishes from here. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - KUNI - Black Garlic Ramen - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Spam Musubi - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Packaged takeout order - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Nica F.

150

654

3 years ago

The food was good especially the Ramen and Masubi. Not a big fan of the beef curry. I like the place and actually don't mind eating here again. The service is good ok, they served the food all at once. My soup was already cold before I even eat because it was out the same time as my appetizer. I wish they kinda wait a little bit for the main dish to improve the quality of food and service. read more

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Clyde C.

Mahalo Nica!!

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Yumiko A.

2 years ago

Nice clean place with nice food; the ramen is very thin compared with what I'm used to, but it was well cooked and the broth was good. I'm not a huge fan of their pork but I really enjoyed the seasoned egg, which was done perfectly. In addition to ramen, they have Hawaiian dishes on their menu as well as Hawaiian drinks. If I were to swing by the area again I might try the curry. read more

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geordan a.

3 years ago

This shit hella good. Now i'm just filling space cuz i have an 85 character minimum. Get whatever. It's all solid. read more

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Clyde C.

Big Mahalo Geordan!

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Ann Y.

11 months ago

I ordered the black garlic ramen and chicken karaage for the table. Both were excellent. Service was prompt and friendly.

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D. M.

3 years ago

MASA ramen is one of the best ramen I've tasted - outside of Japan (of course). I thought Ippudo ramen was good but compared to MASA ramen you can taste and see a difference. MASA ramen gives good portions with affordable prices and MOST friendly service. I've gotten to speak with the chef and learned about his passion of feeding people quality food. The restaurant space is great for individuals and family to eat together. My family enjoys dinners at MASA's ramen because of their friendly and welcoming vibes. I recommend the Broke The Mouth ramen if you want spice! If you're wanting a warm soup on a rainy day or a hangover remedy, try their oxtail soup! Overall, I've tried majority of the dishes at MASA's you can never go wrong with any dish served! Side note: Students get 10% discount! read more

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Kevin C.

2 years ago

Curry Fried Chicken Fillet Rice and Curry Beef Stew Rice are both pretty good, you can tell the waiter that the rice and curry are served separately, with mashed potato salad and ginger, bok choy Next time I come to try its ramen. #CaliforniaFoodPunching #JapaneseFoodScouting read more

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R K.

3 years ago

My son and I walked in and were immediately seated. Nice and clean, very courteous and helpful staff. They recommended the Broke Da Mouth ramen, so we ordered it and WOW was it delicious. We ordered a spice level 3 (out of 5) and were very happy with it. They gave us a 10% discount for Berkeley students which was very nice. Highly recommend!! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - BROKE DA MOUTH Ramen - Masa Special - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Clyde C.

Awesome! Mahalo RK!

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Judy K.

147

3 years ago

Masa Bistro is the place to be if you want tasty Hawaiian eats! We ordered the Broke da Mouth ramen, Tako, and the fried chicken with Calamansi ponzu sauce. Everything was tasty and the broth was perfect with level 2 spice. Everyone who worked at the restaurant was so sweet and very nice. Instantly you can feel the aloha and ohana from the service and ambience. We will be back again to try all their other Hawaiian favorites! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Ramen sign - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Clyde C.

Much Mahalo Judy!!!

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Denise K.

Elite 25

358

164

244

4 years ago

Saw this new spot pop up on one of the chef's IG stories I follow and was on that side of the bay, so I decided to check it out. I ordered the broke da mouth ramen (level 3 spice level). As you can see there is grated parm in this ramen plus the broth is rich, spicy, and flavorful. The ramen used in this dish is the skinnier ramen noods. All in all, this was very tasty. The only thing I would recommend is to incorporate some type of acidity to balance the richness of this dish. When you get the check, they give you a hi-chew. Awesome palate cleanser to ease off the richness. Loved the aloha vibes here because they played Hawaiian music. Brings me back to just cruising in Hawaii. Service was friendly/attentive. Parking was easy to find - got a spot right in the front of the restaurant. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Broke da mouth - level 3 spice - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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James K.

281

775

606

4 years ago

I tried the 808 chicken and the black garlic ramen. The broth for the ramen was hearty and coated the noodles well. The broth was less salty than I'm used to, though the egg helped add savoriness. I'd be curious to try the clear original flavor in the future. The chicken was amazing - crunchy outside and so juicy inside. Squeezing the lemon adds a nice acidity and really brings out the flavor. Curious to try other items in the future too. read more

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Clyde C.

Mahalo James for the review.!!! Hope to see you again!

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Alicia W.

4 years ago

Come for a hearty Hawaiian Japanese fusion with kind staff. The spam musubi was particularly yummy, and I definitely recommend ordering some as a to-go snack! The spicy ramen does have a good kick to it, so be warned. I ordered broke da mouth ramen, and thought it was a 4/5. I wasn't particularly fond of the heavy oil and cheese with Japanese ramen, and it didn't sit well with the stomach. However, the vegetarian ramen is worth a try! I'll definitely come back and go for other options. read more

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Clyde C.

Mahalo for the review! Hope to see you again! We recommend trying our…

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Kelly S.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

195

329

4 years ago

Both chicken sides are spectacular. The flavors were big and the chicken was tender. The price and size are pretty reasonable for a somewhat shareable side. The loco moco was smothered in gravy and the eggs cooked just right. The spam musubi had delicious seasoned rice and was warm when I opened up the box. The staff was super friendly and so welcoming. The restaurant was spotlessly clean and provided lots of open space. The airy brightness made me want to come back and eat there. Thrilled to have this spot in my neighborhood and I know I will be back again and again. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - 808 chicken with yuzu mayo and ponzu - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Loco moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Masa Ramen Bistro - Dakine chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Clyde C.

Awesome …mahalo for liking our ono food!

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Allie C.

11 months ago

we got there around 7:30pm on a thursday and it was pretty empty, so we were seated almost immediately. service was nice and our waiter kindly answered our questions about a couple menu items. we got the kuni and the kilauea, which are pretty much the same but the kilauea can be spicy. i got it at a level 3, and it had a kick that i enjoyed ! the flavor and texture of the ramen was delicious. the only issue was that the soup was really salty. after a few sips it gets a little extreme. but overall, i really enjoyed ! read more

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Nathaniel R.

1 year ago

Was in the Berkeley area and decided to get something warm for the cold weather. Stumbled upon this restaurant, and immediately felt welcome with their service, especially with the Hawaiian jams keeping the vibes going. I had the Broke Da Mouth ramen. It was so flavorful and unique for having melted cheese with the broth. This is perfect comfort food and some of the best ramen I've had in the Bay Area. Highly recommend! read more

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Jay C.

1 year ago

Stoped by Masa Ramen Bistro a few weeks back for a graduation, while this is only my second time trying ramen, I was very Impressed. I ordered the Broke Da Mouth Ramen and was a bit skeptical about the cheese, I also ordered the spiciest option. The cheese complimented everything so well and the broth was so delicious on its own! The egg perfectly cooked and the meat was very flavorful. Usually when a restaurant says very spicy, it's not, this time the spice level was up to what I consider spicy. Overall I really enjoyed my meal, it was delicious and filling all for a good price, service was very quick! read more

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Andrew S.

Elite 22

137

207

203

4 years ago

Wanted to try a new spot and found Masa. Service is excellent. The server was very helpful in pointing out the various dishes and recs. She made sure I had everything I needed and was very sweet. It was cold and rainy and I landed on the ox tail soup. GET THIS! Super tender and fall off the bone meat. Soup was a perfect soothing broth for the soul. The homemade dipping sauce was a great compliment to the flavors of the soup. The only gripe and it's a tiny one...they add some of the fat oil to the broth. I know it has great flavor and elevates the dish but maybe just a tad less would've been better. Other than that it's a great dish that's NOT TO BE MISSED. Dope spot, awesome service and food was bomb. Would def come back here! read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Ox tail soup and spam egg misubi - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Roger P.

304

4 years ago

Restaurant is on university ave so parking can be tough. Very reminiscent of a restaurant in Hawaii - giving aloha vibes for sure. Broke da mouth ramen (5/5) - umami flavor bomb Vegetarian ramen (2/5) - lacking actual vegetables for a veg ramen, but flavor is still there *chili oil is an extra dollar (boo) read more

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Clyde C.

Mahalo for the review. Glad you enjoyed the Broke Da Mouth! For our…

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Susan W.

4 years ago

Wow. I found this place kind of by accident, being lazy and looking for a restaurant walking distance from my hotel. Amazing. I'm currently eating the Broke Da Mouth ramen, spice level 3. It's perfect. read more

Masa Ramen Bistro - Menu from window. - Hawaiian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Tatiana T.

Elite 20

590

213

338

3 years ago

Came here for dinner on a Sunday. Plenty of seating. A little strange there is a counter in the middle of the restaurant and also an Instagram wall. The ramen was ok. Jammy egg. Noodles are the thin ramen noodles and were not soggy. Broth was fine, rich but no depth imo. Chasiu could be more tender. The curry was ok as well. Not bad. Katsu was nicely fried. Would come back for a quick bite of the Katsu but not really the ramen. read more

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Page 3 of 8

1923 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Downtown Berkeley
Directions
(510) 898-1949
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order

Full menu

Hours

What time does Masa Ramen Bistro open?

Masa Ramen Bistro opens at 11:30 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.Masa Ramen Bistro opens at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Masa Ramen Bistro close?

Masa Ramen Bistro is closed on Monday.Masa Ramen Bistro closes at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.Masa Ramen Bistro closes at 8:30 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.Masa Ramen Bistro closes at 8:00 PM on Sunday.

Mon ClosedTue-Sat 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:30 PMSun 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Masa Ramen Bistro take Bitcoin?

No, Masa Ramen Bistro does not take Bitcoin.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro take credit cards?

Yes, Masa Ramen Bistro takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have catering options?

No, Masa Ramen Bistro does not have catering options.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have a drive thru?

No, Masa Ramen Bistro does not have a drive thru.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro serve alcohol?

No, Masa Ramen Bistro does not serve alcohol.

Indoor Amenities

Does Masa Ramen Bistro allow dogs?

Yes, Masa Ramen Bistro allows dogs.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have TVs?

Yes, Masa Ramen Bistro has TVs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have bike parking?

Yes, Masa Ramen Bistro has bike parking.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have outdoor seating?

No, Masa Ramen Bistro does not have outdoor seating options.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have parking?

Yes, Masa Ramen Bistro has parking options. Street Parking

Other Amenities

Is Masa Ramen Bistro wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Masa Ramen Bistro is wheelchair accessible.

Does Masa Ramen Bistro have free WiFi?

No, Masa Ramen Bistro does not have free WiFi.

From the Business

Specialties

Craft ramen and Hawaii comfort food

Masa Ramen Bistro Reviews in Other Languages

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Tsuruya

4.7(173 reviews)

0.2 mi•Gourmet Ghetto, Downtown Berkeley

When a ramen restaurant has only two main items (pork and chicken) on the menu you know they are…read moreserious. And I gotta say I am pretty impressed. U must go with the black garlic flavor tonkatsu. The charred pork chashu is really flavorful. The chicken is really tender, almost fully cooked but not quite (perfection). Full party need to be present to be seated, otherwise u need to wait outside.

Black garlic tonkas- order the chili paste on the side and adjust rhe spice to yiur liking…read more The calamari was fried in a very good batter it was light and flavorful the Inside is very cozy and gives a traditional Raman house vibe service was prompt No complaints

Interior

Matcha Panna Cotta

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A deliciously crunchy and savoy chashu pork croquettes! Warm and healing vibes on the first bites

Ippudo Berkeley

3.6(1.3k reviews)

0.3 mi•Downtown Berkeley

I'm always a little surprised that Ippudo doesn't have a clean sweep of five stars across the…read moreboard. I come here for one thing and one thing only: the vegan ramen. And to be clear, I do not order vegan ramen anywhere else. This is the exception. It's rich, deeply satisfying, and has that full-bodied, slurpable depth you usually associate with tonkotsu. No "this is good for vegan" qualifiers needed, it's just straight-up good ramen. If you've been sleeping on it because it's vegan, don't. This is the move.

What a disappointment. There were a ton of little flying bugs in the restaurant. When I pointed out…read morethat I and the couple sitting next to me had killed several of them, the waitress said "Oh yeah, we have a problem. Sorry about that." We moved to another table, but she said they were pretty much all going to be the same?! The food was decent, but the experience was not. They better figure it out.

Interior

Chicken karaage

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Ramen MISO (DD) with extra noodles

Kinda Izakaya

4.2(181 reviews)

0.0 mi•Downtown Berkeley

We discovered this fun little Izakaya (Japanese social eatery) when coming into town for the…read moreLadytron show at the UC Theater on busy Saturday night on University Avenue and we are glad that we decided to give it a try. It was conveniently located across the street from the venue, and the unassuming outside of the restaurant did not hint at the amount of fun, ambiance, good food, and warm hospitality contained inside. First, there is the name. Not sure if it's some sort of play on words, secret joke, or if it's someone's actual name, but it works, kinda. It's kinda a restaurant, kinda a bar, kinda of a hangout, and kinda fun. The tiny entrance and plain facade reveals a bustling world of delicious food, tasty beverage, and lots of decorative eye candy to keep you looking around the space while you are hanging out with friends, on a date, or just relaxing after a long day. The decorations there are very upbeat, eclectic, fun, and distinctly Japanese pop culture. Posters, banners, flags, lanterns, toys, and trinkets can be found all over the restaurant, and made it fun to keep looking around and discover new novel things to look at. I did feel like I was in an authentic Izakaya somewhere in Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Ebisu in Tokyo. The place had a lot of personality & personal flair in an otherwise, tiny & industrial small warehouse type space. Service was excellent. The host was the cute & personable Mina, who couldn't have been more accommodating, patient, friendly, and engaging. It was very busy, and even though it was our first time there, Mina made us feel welcome into their home and was also very helpful to guide us around their experience. The other staff were less engaging, but still professional, efficient, and polite. Service was quick, attentive, and friendly on all accounts, and they as a team, managed to serve an entire full house of hungry & happy patrons during the entire Saturday night dinner rush. Fun place with a good staff. We opted for Izakaya-type, shared small plates to satisfy our hunger cravings without getting too full and weighed down on big portions of heavy, rich foods. Everything on the long & expansive menu looked great, but we mostly stuck with small appetizers to sample & savor. It was nice that there were plenty of lighter, fresh vegetarian options as neither of us were really in the mood for seafood, fried food, or big heavy entrees. We ordered the Kinda Tofu, Kyuri sliced fresh cucumber salad, and Kinoko butter-grilled mushroom hot platter and washed it down with some green grape Jinro soju. Everything was pretty good! Not overly fried, greasy, salty, or seasoned. Lightly cooked, delicately glazed, with just enough seasoning & oil/sauce to make it taste good, but not end up too complicated or messy. The taste really came through using these minimal cooking & seasoning techniques. The taste of the original vegetables & tofu came through perfectly, and were only complimented by their light hints of adding flavor. Portion sizes were ample for two people, and presentation was appetizing and organized. The bill for 3 apps + 1 bottle of Soju was less than $50, so it was a good value for the fun experience & good food. Wait times during the dinner rush are long, and there isn't really anywhere to sit or stand, so reservations are recommended. You can also enter and go straight to the 10-seat bar if there are openings, but we got a table for two after around a 20-30 minute wait. After that, everything moves pretty quickly, from ordering, getting food & drinks, to wrapping up and getting your check. Perfect system if you're trying to get to a concert, movie, or appointment with a specific start time. I really liked this place, not Kinda, not Sorta, but Definitely, or Absolutely! Kinda Izakaya will always be our destination to eat & hang out next time we come back to Berkeley, it is a true gem of a Japanese Izakaya/light meal fare right in the heart of downtown Berkeley. It's fun, tasty, busy, and friendly. Small & cozy, yet also airy & comfortable.

2nd Visit. I'm smitten with the menu and vibes. $6 Kyuri:…read morerefreshing vinegary counter to the fried and grilled items. $12 Crispy Chicken Knees: very karage like. Excellent. $6 Bacon+Oyster: Least surprising. Tasty at least. $4.50 Chkn Skin: kinda sweet! In a good way, charred, and fatty. Delicious. $31 Ika Yaki: delicious

Inside

Kaki Fried

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Chicken Kneecaps

Tane Vegan Izakaya

4.5(445 reviews)

0.2 mi•Downtown Berkeley

Wow wow wow! I didn't think it could be done but this place has perfect vegan Japanese food! It's…read morehard to get in so make sure to make a reservation. Pacifica Roll (10/5 stars) - the best thing we ate, perfect creation of flavors that don't overwhelm each other, it's perfectly savory Poke Salad (5/5) - does it tastes like fish? No. But it's a great combination of textures, you have the chewy king oyster mushrooms and soft fried tofu, the crunch of the veggies and the cashew dressing is addicting Da Bao (5/5) - I didn't like the vegan spam alone (I personally like this other brand more) but here they paired it well with veggies and plum wine sauce that makes it work. The vegan spam here is too smokey for my tastes but together it's good. Roasted Garlic Miso Ramen (2/5) - Honestly, it was the only not good thing we had. The broth was neither garlicky or miso-y. It was very mushroomy. It was all one could taste. The spam did not fit with the ramen and was very jarring to taste in the ramen. Yuzu Matcha (5/5) - It's sour but not too sour. Like it wakes you up witout making your face pucker. Absolutely cannot wait to come back!

First of all, I eat meat. And I love sushi. So I was like..,uh vegan sushi? But tbh it was good…read moreasf! I ordered the Ewa roll and Point Reyes and they were both really Flavorful and filling! I was like..there's no fish in this?! Word?! Idk how they did it but it tasted like seafood. It's a quiet little place without a lot of seating, so consider making a reservation!

2.6 mi•Temescal, North Oakland

Photo 4: Interior

Left roll - Point Reyes (GF) Right roll - The Wedge (GF) deep fried

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Loaded Potatoes (GF) and Tane Katsu (GF)

Marufuku Ramen - Oakland

4.5(2.3k reviews)

Happy hour specials

Kid friendly

Went in for a late night dinner, had such a pleasant experience with Brittanny as our host/server…read more She needs to run the whole think honestly. The Ramen is bomb as always.

If you enjoy Ramen.... this is the place for you. It's a wait for seating, but worth every minute…read more Service was warm and attentive. Special shoutout... to the guy handling the wait list at the door. What an engaging sweetheart. He handled the list, waiting people well..a smiling personality and very helpful... thank you . Food was exceptional... I had pork belly ramen which had great flavor. They also had chicken and beef based ramens. Also noteworthy the meat was fresh (taste the difference). Appetizers had gyoza... (nothing special)...and octopus (Amazing delicacy... I'm talking exceptional food). Flashing lychee drink Very good food...a nice treat. Thank you everyone S

HAKATA TONKOTSU DX

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Kuriya Japanese Kitchen

4.6(178 reviews)

2.0 mi

Really Good Japanese ramen. A must try. Great service…read more Relaxing ambiance. Great for any size party and occasion.

What can I say, when my go to sushi restaurant of many years went down hill , i was forced to find…read moreanother restaurant. 5 stars later this was the best thing that could have happened! we always order delivery and everything was packaged beautifully and very well. they were very generous with the soy sauce and chopsticks. The sushi was sooo much better and fish was fresher and tastier and delicious. The rolls were well made absolutely the best I have had in east bay !!!! the Rainbow roll was outstanding. Salmon , escobar ( white tuna) and tuna were so creamy and made my mouth sing ! The gyoza was great! everything we ordered was superb!

Indoor seating

Tori Karaage

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Potato Special Tartare (4 pieces) ($15) - Deep fried potato with ground toro and tobiko. It's tasty though quite heavy.

Bansho Ramen

4.1(196 reviews)

0.9 mi•Telegraph Ave

Very friendly service, and *extremely* generous portion of pork in the "Bansho Ultimate Ramen"…read more I will definitely be back.

Aug 9 2025 3:30pm 3.4 stars…read more After a short struggle to find parking, we walked the half a block to find Bansho tucked away in a corner- almost hidden from the street. The front doors are littered with adds and dirt. It looked a bit sketchy on the outside but we went inside anyway. Inside, the restaurant looks very pleasant. It has a comfortable and cozy look for a small 49 seat place. Mood music plays at a quiet level. There are several conversation starters for sure inside the restaurant like.. "What is that shrine with the green bananas on it for?" "Can you decipher the price of beer written on that chalkboard?" My favorite was "What is that treadmill doing in this restaurant?" We were seated and given menus. The waitress left and then came back after four or five minutes. I felt a little rushed to order as if the order taker assumed we had pre-prepped ourselves on their menu. We had to ask for more of a chance to look at the options. The two of us shared a bowl of Ramen, an order of California Rolls, a coke and later on we ordered Takoyaki-deep fried dough with I believe a piece of squid inside. Before the waitress left to give our first order to the chef, she said "Anything else?" I inferred she was suggesting our order was to small. Later I understood she might be warning me that that might be our last chance to order anything. It was hard for us to place that second order of Takoyaki. Once we were given our food, the waitress disappeared and never checked on us. To place another order, I had to keep the kitchen under surveillance, watching for someone to exit so we could jump up, run to the frond desk area and order. The food we did have was tasteful enough and the $41 seems fare. Negatives for Bansho. 1) The phones used by the front desk and in the kitchen are too loud, they ring for too long and destroy the ambience. Someone will one day invent a device that buzzes in your pocket instead of ringing loudly throughout the entire restaurant. Name it something catchy like "Cell Phone". 2) The Men's restroom was too dusty and the toilet seat was "spotty"- if you know what I mean. 3) Having someone check on you while you are eating and saying "Welcome In" when you get there and "Thank You For Your Business" when you leave would go a long way. I did see a sign that they are hiring so they might have been short staffed.

Conversation starters. Wright Brothers? And are those sticks on ropes for children to play with?

California Rolls and Ramen mid meal.

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Karaage

Ippuku

3.9(1.5k reviews)

0.3 mi•Downtown Berkeley

•$$$

Came back here and it was just as amazing as the first time…read more This time we tried the : daily specials which was fried fish ( in place of their fried oysters), Neck, bacon wrapped asparagus And we got the Ippuku Salad and Squid Ink Rice again because they're so good! Amazing will be back Monique served us again and she is just wonderful and it's nice to see her again.

Walk-in at Ippuku in Berkeley came with a pretty long wait, and there is no online waitlist which…read moremakes planning difficult. We were seated around 7:30 (which is still prime dinner time imo) only to be told that many of the menu items had already sold out, which was disappointing. The items that were still available were good and we still had a nice time overall. FYI, the non-alcoholic beverage selection is quite limited. At this price point, the wait plus the number of sold out dishes makes us question whether we would come back.

Cool shochu dispensers

Ippuku salad

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Beer and sake

Toss Noodle Bar

4.0(1.4k reviews)

0.4 mi•Downtown Berkeley

After I was introduced to this restaurant, there was no going back. This place has such amazing and…read moredelicious dishes. I was here all the time in college, and I try to go back whenever I can. I genuinely dream about this place. My go to meal is the hokkien noodles with the Thai flavor and chicken. It's also a very good bang for your buck. If I get this meal, I'm eating for the rest of the day. The service is always super quick! Sometimes, there might be a line, but they do a very good job at getting the food out quickly. It is a smaller restaurant ao seating can be limited ơn busier days, but that's bc it's so good, everyone's trying to go. I don't blame them.

Overdue review as I've been here several times now. Ambiance isn't much to write home about. It's…read morevery simple and casual with few tables and seating areas. Service here is overall friendly and welcoming. Although, I've mostly gotten take out and dining in means you clear your own table? Food*: - Tom Yum Soup 8/10, bold and tasty - Laksa Soup 7/10, tasty but oily - Clear Soup 10/10, clean and flavorful which is what keeps me coming back almost every time (especially good when feeling under the weather) * I've only had the soups and always with the big flat noodles Overall: - 8/10, great place for quick and casual dining or maybe best as take out order to enjoy at home

0.3 mi•Gourmet Ghetto, Downtown Berkeley

Inside

New Chef special Menu! TomYum Cheese Fried Rice.

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Panang Curry with tofu and white rice

Marugame Udon

3.7(923 reviews)

Locally owned & operated

Vegan friendly

8/10 (this location) | 9/10 overall…read more How can you go wrong with Marugame Udon? Seriously. It's one of those spots that just hits every time. This location gets an 8/10 from me--still solid, still satisfying--but overall, the brand is easily a 9/10 because it's just sooooo good. If you're going for the first time (or even if you're not), do yourself a favor and get the beef or nikutama. The broth is rich, savory, and comforting, and the noodles have that perfect chewy texture that makes every bite worth it. It's simple food done really well. And don't skimp on the tempura. That's where people mess up. Load up your tray--shrimp, sweet potato, whatever catches your eye. It's crispy, fresh, and honestly half the experience. Quick, casual, and consistently delicious. Hard to miss here.

I came here from Marin since I felt it was slightly closer than the San Francisco Stonestown…read morelocation. Man I regret that decision. The location itself is super clean and nice. Street parking which wasn't hard to find is about $4 per hour. I was able to park literally right in front of the restaurant. Came on a Thursday around 2pm. We ordered: 1. Large Nakutama (cold): I've had this dish before a bunch of times and today the broth or meat had an odd taste to it. It almost tasted gamey like they meat was old or something. About 40 mins later I had a pretty bad stomach ache and had to use the restroom. Not sure if it was a coincidence or what. My wife had a small amount and agreed that there was an odd taste but she didn't have any stomach issues after eating it (but she also only had a small bite). 2. Large Shrimp BK: This was alright. The noodles were significantly overcooked and bloated. Not sure how that happened since they looked like they were freshly making it. The shrimp tempura was good though. 3. Tempura Pumpkin, potato Croque, Sweet potato and Crab: Honestly the tempura was the best item on the menu. I really liked the Pumpkin and imitation crab while my wife liked the sweet potato the most. Overall food quality probably 2/5 stars. The only saving grace for this location was the guy running the register who was awesome and super nice and funny. He was running around the restaurant helping out making the dishes and running the register. 5 stars for service. Location is also really nice and clean. Just very disappointed with the food quality.