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    NōKA Ramen & Bar

    4.3 (622 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:45 PM, 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

    Order NōKA Ramen & Bar Takeout or Delivery

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    NŌKA RAMEN & BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
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    Casual
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    Nikita K.

    Came here for a friends birthday dinner and it was a good time. Parking is difficult but there's garages nearby. It wasn't too crowded on a Thursday evening. The service is pretty good here. The aesthetics made it great for a birthday dinner. Very cute backdrop for pictures and just decor around the restaurant. Love that there's many vegetarian options as well. I got the veggie ramen, fries, corn, and Brussels sprouts. All were yummy. The cocktails are very pretty colors too with cute decorations.

    Menu
    Joe W.

    Came on an early Saturday evening with a party of four and got seated right away. The first thing that stands out is how friendly the staff is here with their communal greeting as soon as you arrive. You are literally waited on with excellent service, our server today was N and they were phenomenal at what they do. We loved the anime themed "uniforms " and matching decor that instantly transported us back into classic 90s anime nostalgia. The cocktails and food are colorful and delightful to peruse but honestly don't think too hard about it. Everything on here looks great and taste even better. Highlights for us during this trip, where the Pikachu burger and the steak Ramen, which features spicy yet flavorful broth and generous portion sizes for everything. We tried the passionfruit highball that came with an exclusive Pokémon card, which is a great garnish that tickled my inner child. Would not hesitate in coming back and trying more of their offerings.

    That Wagyu truffle ramen.
    Danreb V.

    As an Asian nerd, I don't think I've ever been as positive taken back as I was with the ambiance of NoKA. This place is a dream for even the most casual anime fans. The servers are in cosplay, there's drinks garnished with Pokemon cards, Dragon Ball Z is playing on the big screen, and there's even a Sailor Moon Sake flight. I was just floored. But this is about the food, right? My girlfriend and I stayed the weekend at Oakland because it's not a place we frequent, and this place was definitely the highlight, especially since it's so easy to find at Jack London Square. She had the lobster ramen and the aforementioned Sailor Moon flight. I had the wagyu truffle ramen along with one of lychee Pokemon TCG drinks. The first bite of my ramen was awesome. It might have been the best flavor I've ever had out of a beef ramen. My only issue was that I was still hungry, which usually isn't the case with ramen. It comes in a big flat bowl, but that's the optical illusion. With the bowl being so big, it looks like there's more food than there actually is. The drink was fine. No frills. The card included was a common, for those wondering. My girlfriend's lobster ramen was also good, but the lobster comes whole with you having to do all the work. I'm great with crustaceans, but I had trouble pulling the lobster meat out as it stuck to the inside -- a sign of it being overcooked. So buyer beware here. Again, it's good, but if you're gonna make me peel the lobster, at least make it a little bit easy. The Sailor Moon flight was cool too but as you'd expect, it's mainly for the gram. All this said, the food was good enough and I loved the vibes, so I'll definitely be back.

    Black garlic noodles and truffle fries
    Frances C.

    It's been awhile since I returned Places still look fresh and the food is still excellent. They added few interesting items. Broth is thick and creamy with a good favor. Need to try them out

    UME highball
    Sara B.

    Literally my favorite meal in awhile. I was so surprised by this little spot in Jack London that I've had in my list for awhile. Decor is stunning first of all. Like tropical, anime, paradise? The service was so quick! I had barely gone to the bathroom after ordering and my food was out. Our server was so kind and attentive too. I love that they're all in power ranger cosplay too. Drinks and menu were unique and fun! I loved my highball which came with a Pokémon card. The gyoza was handmade on my ramen and the broth was so flavorful and comforting. Best of all, they could accommodate my kids! They have a mini kids ramen that was perfect for them. They both ate so much! Needless to say, I will be back. This is a must try if you're in Jack London.

    Kaitlyn L.

    I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this spot, and how excited I am to come back. Coming here was a suuuper last decision to fulfill a group ramen craving despite how picky I am with my ramen (Ichiran changed me, sorry!). We had no idea there was even a theme, but our waiter took our order in green power rangers uniform which I was visibly confused about at first, but enjoyed the fun vibes. There are pokémon scattered around the place and lots of greenery + lights in the evening, it was hard not to be happy in there. Black Garlic Tonkatsu Ramen: so many toppings that automatically come with it. The broth was rich, the egg was jammy, and the chashu (omg) was sooo soft + fatty! I really enjoyed this bowl. I desperately wanna come back to try their drinks in particular. They have quite the experimental menu and some cards come with a surprise pokémon card for an extra $1... This is the perfect spot to kick off your night @ Jack London Square.

    Black garlic tonkatsu ramen
    Paul C.

    Super cute Ramen place on Jack London Square. Has a fun drink list, really amazing Ramen, really cute interior, great service, fair prices The drinks are themed, super interesting menu, everybody was having a good time

    Chicken Ka-Ramen
    Sunny P.

    Came here today for the first time and can't believe I never knew NōKA existed here in Oak town! My homegirl brought me here and it was so dope, she said it became one of her spots after she discovered it a couple of years ago on TikTok. This place is really good, from the staff, the ambiance and the food/drinks and what's cool is they have Pokémon highballs with a random card you'll get and Sailor Moon flights! The ramen was so good too. Definitely will be back again

    Fried ice cream sandwich
    Shahan A.

    Built my own bowl. Black garlic broth was absolutely delicious - really umami. Noodles and veggies were cooked well. Ribs were fine, but could've been better. Not a ton of flavor, and slightly tough to chew, but not a big deal. Dessert - fried ice cream sandwich was amazing, but $14 for 2 sandwiches is a high ask imo. Each goes down within 5-6 bites. Also breaks easily - not structurally sound - but hey, it's an ice cream sandwich, whatever. Honestly didn't like the peach soda. Sorry to say to all the jigglypuff fans. You taste the carbonation more than anything fruity. Sundays are pokemon-themed, it seems. That was a lot of fun. They had season 1 playing on the big screen, and a big pikachu walked out and was interacting with patrons, but only for a few mins. Ambience was like rainforest cafe, but Japanese style. Food came out very quickly. Somewhere between 5-10 minutes. Waiter was attentive. Overall a fun experience, but $80 for 2 people is a lot imo. (Dirty tourist talking) 4.25 stars

    Classic Tonkotsu (5)
    Bryan T.

    Ordered the Classic Tonkotsu Ramen here. Price is definitely on the pricier side, but the ramen was worth the amount. The broth was rich and creamy, noodles had a good chewy firmness, and the chashu had an excellent char to it. Service was attentive, but also all dressed up like characters from Dragon Ball Z. The experience was a little strange, since Halloween was a month ago, and you're sitting in a restaurant/bar with fake trees and vines detailing the ceiling like a rainforest cafe. A projector is playing TV shows and anime onto the floor and walls, though I couldn't really hear the show over the ambience of the restaurant. If for nothing else, the food was good (if pricy) and the atmosphere is interesting enough to make Noka Ramen worth visiting at least once!

    Mercy D.

    Some places are happy to give you a free dessert if it's your birthday. And then there are some places that charge you a "dessert fee" if you bring your own dessert. I didn't think much about it. I brought my child to celebrate his birthday (day of, on a weekday) following a doggy training session by the waterfront and brought a tiny cake to eat after dinner (there should always be a cake on birthdays!). However, when I asked to borrow a knife they said there was a dessert fee............... We decided to save the singing for home. I wonder if they would still charge this dessert fee had I brought my own knife? I guess I'll never know. What really drew us here was that they had an Anime theme and advertised drinks that came with a Pokémon card. My child is a huge Anime fan and aspiring artist so would've been a perfect spot for a tiny birthday blow out to end a nice day. Honestly it seems like all just a gimmick to get people here. The restaurant was nice enough with cool decorations making it feel like a jungle in there and a large projection on a wall for kids to watch some anime but when we went it was kind of empty. To be fair we were an hour and a half from closing time so that could account for the low attendance. Not sure if we'd come again... the soup was very salty and the drinks are just overpriced sugary beverages laced with artificial flavoring.

    Linda N.

    3.75 stars I really wanted to love this place but my palette just couldn't agree. Their cute aesthetics, their playful twist on the current theme: Pokemon, their HUGE portions, how can one not enjoy this place? Pork Baos - these babies are huge. Sometimes, I like big portions. Other times, especially dishes like this, i like to appreciate equal parts meat and bun. The meat was a bit much and overpowered the whole dish. Pikachu Burger - goddang, another massive baby. So big, it definitely was challenging to eat. Had to eat it deconstructed style. The meat again, was a bit much. Ramen - Pretty basic ramen, very minimal to no garlic flavor Noka Rangers - just for kicks. Drink was standard, nothing special Overall, food was ok, wouldn't go out of my way to come back. Service was GREAT.

    Sailor Moon Sake Flight, Passion Fruit Highball, Truffle Fries, Chicken Karaage, Hibiscus Lychee Highball
    Romelia R.

    This place is cute, cozy, IG aesthetic spot. The workers were dressed in Pokémon characters the night we went -- including someone in a huge Pikachu costume that went around each table taking pictures with guests. The staff was very attentive and although they were busy they were good about checking in with us and refilling our waters. For drinks we got the passion fruit highball, the hibiscus lychee highball, and the sailor moon sake flight. The highballs were okay and more on the sparkly side since they are a sparkling water based cocktail. The sake flight was very good. Food was amazing all around! We started with the truffle fries and chicken karaage. The sauce they came with had a perfect touch of spice. They put a flame to the Loco Moco at the table and mixed it for you. The gravy was very flavorful. They also put a flame to the Ikari Steak Ramen. The steak on that dish was so tender and delicious. The tonkotsu ramen's flavor was very good too. I built my own ramen and was very surprised to see Brussel sprouts on the list. Overall, it was a great experience and I will definitely be back to try their bento boxes which are only offered Monday-Friday.

    Maine Lobster Shio Ramen

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    NōKA Ramen & Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - NōKA Ramen & Bar

    Is this place kid friendly?

    Yes! They often play anime/cartoons and on weekends they have staff dress up in costumes as well. Good options on menu for kids if they like Japanese food!

    Is there parking?

    When I was there, there was plenty of street parking in front and alongside the restaurant. Also, there are parking lots within a few blocks.

    How long have you waited for a walk-in on a Sunday?

    We went on a recent Sunday a little after 7:30pm and there was no wait, only a couple other tables seated so pretty quiet. Can’t say if that would apply to other (especially holiday) weekends.

    Is this place reservation only? Are the sailor moon sake flights always available or was the photo…

    It's not reservation only, they take walk ins. And the sailor moon flight is always available. This place is more for the gram rather than quality. But if you go hope you like it. It was a pass for me

    Will you always have the ikari ramen? Thanks

    It's first come first serve. If they run out of pork then no more items.

    Is there a gluten-free ramen option?

    Who owns this restaurant?

    Same folks as Farmhouse Thai & Daughter Thai

    Are pet allowed at the outdoor patio?

    Yes

    Are there any vegan options?

    Now there is the tofu ramen.

    What's the price range for the ramen bowls?

    Starting at $16

    View All 15 Questions

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    This place is music nerd heaven. They have a section of their menu dedicated to their speakers and…read moreamps, ferchrissakes. I love the atmosphere in here. Staff are always cool, vibe is relaxed. Even the security guard at the door is a cool guy. The interior decor and lighting are gorgeous. Silent Sundays are pretty fun: they play an album from top to bottom, and everyone has to shut the hell up for the duration and can't order any shaken drinks. See? Music nerd heaven. I almost forgot to talk about the drinks: the menu is solid. Good cocktails, reasonable prices, well made.

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    I visited a few weeks ago for the first time, and unfortunately, my experience started off on a…read morenegative note. After arriving, one security guard checked my ID and directed me inside. As I was walking in, I briefly stopped after recognizing someone I knew. At that point, another security guard began yelling at me and then grabbed me forcefully to move me along. I understand that security staff have a job to do and need to keep entrances and walkways clear. However, the way the situation was handled felt completely unnecessary. I was not causing a disturbance, and there was no reason for physical contact. Being grabbed so aggressively was uncomfortable and unprofessional. I hope management addresses this issue and speaks with the security staff about appropriate ways to interact with guests. First impressions matter, and this interaction immediately impacted my experience.

    Photos
    51 & Tel - People love to come and have a great cocktail  after or  before dinner.

    People love to come and have a great cocktail after or before dinner.

    51 & Tel
    51 & Tel - Frozen Halloween cocktail!

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    Frozen Halloween cocktail!

    NōKA Ramen & Bar - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

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