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    Noodle in a Haystack

    4.8 (95 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndRamen, New American

    Noodle in a Haystack Photos

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    NOODLE IN A HAYSTACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Yoko's Donut
    Tiffany K.

    For years, I had friends who raved about Clint and Yoko's ramen pop up that was first operated in their home. I heard equally great things about the food and the husband wife duo and honestly, was skeptical because this sounded too good to be true. I had yet to meet chefs that were equally as charming as the food until this very special day. Their technique and meticulous care in curating what is the most memorable bowl of ramen I've ever had (even after visiting Japan), is clearly highlighted throughout all of Clint and Yoko's dishes and their impeccable palate. Their natural talent to orchestrate flavors seamlessly and in tandem with the seasonality of ingredients created an undeniable reputation, with a strong following that manifests with reservations being highly sought after (it took several tries of waiting for the reservations to open up and still not being able to secure them and by the grace of the restaurant gods and my friend's quick reflexes, only got a reservation through the waitlist so have FAITH! You TOO can try their amazingness). I get it. Everything clicked for me. Like how can food taste this good? That was my reaction after every dish. I was floored by each bite. The caviar financier was utterly delightful. You will have a taste of Yoko's gifted baking skills upon the first bite here. I secretly wished I had a financier the size of a bread roll. Their play on the caprese was like an international whirlwind of a trip that took place within a few seconds. The combination of flavors transformed this dish's experience from a place of Chengdu, to Italy and then back to Japan. All within one bite. Wowza. Holy Cow. The Chawanmushi was soooo fun to eat. The mapo complimented the egg so well. But wait! There was also a surprise. It felt like a kinder egg. Nestled in the bottom middle was a scallop surprise. My HEART. The Cauliflower side dish looked unassuming, but the texture and flavors that were carefully integrated into this vegetable made me fall in love with it all over again. The ramen we were served that night happened to be Clint & Yoko's son's favorite ramen. And I understand why it is because it's now my favorite too. Damn. This has to be the tastiest, cleanest bowl of ramen I've ever had. I ate everything down to the last drop of the broth. I was a bit intoxicated by how delicious this was when Clint explained the contents of this bowl, but from what I can recall, the soup was made from a blend of chicken stock with no parts for 10-12 hours along with a medley of different seafood flavorings. Then you have the two protein toppings- Virginia ham + chicken breast. I never was truly fond of ham because honey baked ham during the holidays was always so underwhelming for me (and apologies for even comparing this to your ham C+Y), BUT MY OPINION HAS CHANGED. I only like Noodle in the Haystack ham. Great. The noodles were prepared in small batches so that when you get your bowl, both the broth and noodles were of a nice warm temperature and consistency. I want to cry just thinking about this bowl now. NOW THE DESSERT The yuzu kakigori was chef's kiss. But let me tell you about Yoko's donut. OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS. It was freshly fried and reminded me of a baby donut if beignet and mochi were to procreate. It was rolled in sugar and honestly was so perfect in itself. I believe if Yoko ever pursued a business in a bakery, it would be guaranteed that everything she bakes will be life changing. Because this donut just did that for me. The ambiance was intimate and cozy. I appreciated the minimal, yet personal touches of the decor inside. The bathroom even had a temperature regulated soap dispenser! Will definitely be coming back to what is now officially, my favorite fine dining spot in the city. Thank you Yoko and Clint for truly making this night so memorable and enjoyable.

    Strawberry basque cheesecake
    Ming C.

    Was finally able to snag a reservation after months of trying (and it was thanks to me randomly checking tock, not even a day the reservations opened). Food was delicious, so creative and unique. I've been to a fair amount of fine dining spots and many of them have been excellent but I do believe Noodle in a Haystack gave me some of my most memorable bites. The caviar financier packed a surprising punch. Corn chawamushi is so unique and tasted so fresh and delicious. Mapo ramen while homey, was soooo good, I may have liked it more than the shio chicken which was the main ramen. The shio ramen was great but I think I just prefer more bite to my noodles. Wagyu marsala was absolutely delicious as well, I loved the salt flakes and Clint is genius with how he put it all together. I've had better wagyu but this was my first time trying it in a donut and it definitely left an impact. Basque cheesecake was wow! The strawberriest, cheesiest cake I've ever tasted, the way it melted in your mouth was a delight, would definitely be interested if the team looked into a bakery. It feels a little weird paying so much for "just ramen", but the experience was more than just noodles and many of the standouts to me were not even the noodle dishes. Overall, would highly recommend if you are looking for a unique tasting experience that you can't find anywhere else--just know it will cost a pretty penny. Although we got the sake pairing, I am lightweight so I opted to drinking a non-alcoholic beverage but my partner enjoyed the pairings. The restaurant was cozy and discreet and easy to miss but very clean and I love the open kitchen concept. I appreciated the intimate experience, with 10 seats, it made sense why the reservations are so hard to get!

    Jenny X.

    What a cool experience! Got a reservation here thanks to a friend and we went on a Tuesday night! Good: - The place was so cute! I liked that it was a hole in the wall place - Super nice staff, definitely a labor of love - Liked the mini wine pairing, wasn't too much and it did complement each dish well - Each course was so pretty and made in front of us - my favorites were the Amish chicken and the desert pancake was very tasty. The noodles had good texture! Everything was worth eating, no dish wasn't great. Bad: - Expensive! Overall enjoyed this 3 hour experience and it was worth every moment

    Marlon T.

    The best dining experience in San Francisco right now! Is your internet fast enough to grab a coveted reservation on Tock.com right when it comes out? The food is spectacular, the atmosphere is simple, and the chats with the owners are priceless. Every bite was flavorful. Every sake/wine sip complemented the textures of flavors so well. Clint and Yoko and passionate and good and what they do and it's really the conversations you have with them that make the meal even more special. 1000% recommend!

    Lori R.

    I don't know how I haven't reviewed Noodle in a Haystack yet !! This is my 4th or 5th time dining here and I haven't had a single dish I haven't like. Yoko and Clint have a beautiful restaurant and deliver amazing food that they have put a ton of thought and effort into. For those of you who haven't been dining here is always a preset menu. Usually 5-10 courses depending on which menu you sign up for (they use to have a nonextended dining menu but I think now it's just extended v sake pairing). Reservations are incredibly hard to get. Try to get onto tock a few minutes before 9pm on the second Sunday and if you don't get a spot then just do waitlist and cross your fingers. The menu changes constantly but usually there is always the starting frangipane by yoko, homemade pickled something (this time was daikon and then a kimchi inspired persimmon pickle), some type of wagyu dish - this time featured a wagyu tartar with the most amazing smoked pickles that tasted like bacon. Also there is usually some variation of 2 ramen- this time we had the egg carbonara but it had a shrimp broth oil that elevated this dish to a higher level than it was in the past- and that was already amazing. The broth ramen this time might actually be my favorite so far - it's a take on hainan chicken with a sambal side sauce. The two different noodle dishes featured different noodles that suited the dish perfectly. This is a very intimate dining experience where you get to chat with the owners/chefs/creators and get to eat incredible, thoughtful, innovative, delicious food. I would recommend everyone dine at least once here.

    Pickled vegetables
    Cathy H.

    This omakase was an intimate 10 person experience that was close to 3 hours with the owner explaining each menu item to us before serving it with a wine/sake pairing. Ambiance was cozy and friendly. I really enjoy how small it was and the thought that went into the food. Service was excellent and attentive. Everything was delicious; some standouts for me was the cold ramen with spot prawns and uni sauce; hot hainan chicken ramen noodle soup, and the Crab Chawanmushi. Two of my favorite pairings were the melon sake and world peace sake; both were fragrant and smooth. This exclusive experience is worth the wait, hype and price. Highly recommend trying if you can get a reservation!

    Josie C.

    The menu is absolutely delicious! We had a splendid meal, and it was well worth the money. There aren't many bar seats, so it's best to book ahead!

    Sherry S.

    This is *the* hardest reservation to score in San Francisco. Located in a nondescript building in the Inner Richmond, Noodle in a Haystack is serving up a $195 ramen tasting menu. Husband and wife duo Clint and Yoko were finalists in the World Ramen Grand Prix in Tokyo, which inspired them to start their business in San Francisco, quickly earning its spot as one of the top new restaurants in the country. They insert ingredients from their ramen to each dish of the 8-course tasting menu. We started with a crispy golden financier topped with caviar and smoked shoyu creme fraiche, followed by a chawanmushi, or savory egg custard, with ingredients like Dungeness crab dashi gravy, Hokkaido Uni & Scallop. The chilled A5 wagyu tan tan men was incredibly refreshing from the cold house-made noodles and dashi, yet rich in flavor from the wagyu butter and mala. Next, a tender black cod and Japanese pickles before the climax of the tasting menu- a piping hot bowl of ramen that they rotate out every couple months. This is a hainanese chicken inspired shio ramen, with perfectly chewy housemade noodles in a translucent salt-seasoned broth. We finished strong with a refreshing Yuzu shaved ice, and Shoyu honey mirin Japanese pancake. You absolutely need to go for a special occasion or a nice night out!

    yuzu lemon (zested)
    Wing Y.

    This restaurant is the epitome of the idea that constraint breeds creativity. It's a small Japanese restaurant with no stove and no grill and 12 seats available three nights a week that are nearly impossible to get. But after 4 months of setting a calendar invite and signing onto Tock at the right time, my wife was excited to report that she had scored a reservation for last Tuesday evening. This is a complete dining experience. You get to talk to the chefs (a husband and wife team) and their helpers and watch as they carefully prepare and assemble the food before it is served to you. They are so purposeful and efficient in their actions - whether it's placing a single shred of greenery atop a perfect dollop of caviar, mixing a quick cucumber pickle with a deft stirring motion, or lovingly laying ramen into a bowl of broth. Clint and Yoko put their own spin on things, humbly stating that they are just trying to make things that they themselves would like to eat. The flavors and dishes are familiar but combined in interesting and subtle ways - for example the chawanmushi (egg custard) is combined with the flavors of hot and sour soup with the result being an incredibly warm and comforting dish. The Yakiniku Tartare includes pickled daikon and egg yolk, served on a delicate rice cracker, bringing together lots of exciting textures and flavors. Everything is amazing, and the noodles are the star of the show. The first noodle dish was a creamy, umami-packed take on carbonara, and the ramen of the night was a Shio Butter Clam Ramen, featuring two seafood broths and a clam butter along with sous vide pork and charred corn. Loved the desserts as well - a refreshing shaved ice atop "almond tofu" and a lovely, light dorayaki bursting with flavor and texture. Could not recommend this place more. We were here for nearly three hours and the time flew by! We put our regular date nights on pause a few months ago, so this was a lovely way to get some time together on our own.

    Mark O.

    Dinner review. Japanese (non-traditional) tasting menu. Winter / Early Spring Extended Menu (Highlight) Financier Tsar Nicoulai Golden Reserve Caviar, Smoked shoyu crème fraîche (Highlight) Chawanmushi Dungeness crab dashi gravy, Hokkaido Uni & Scallop, Garlic Brown butter, Shio tare, Mountain Yam, Mitsuba (Best. Awesome.) Chilled A5 Wagyu Tan Tan Men Japanese sesame tare, A5 Wagyu "butter," Ramp Vinegar, Mala, Dashi, A5 Hokkaido Wagyu Striploin Black Cod Steam roasted Black Cod, Japanese Sea Bream dashi, Blood Orange Olive oil, Chives Tsukemono Pickles of the Day (Highlight) Hainan Chicken Shio 8 hr Whole chicken & Pi water broth, 5 fish dashi, Shio Tare, Ginger scallion schmaltz, "Hainan Chicken" Roulade, 3 day cured jidori egg, Tokyo Negi, Aged onion, Micro cilantro Annin Kakigori Yuzu shaved ice, "Almond tofu", Kiwi preserve Dorayaki Shoyu honey mirin pancake, Burnt caramel, Chantilly, Salted brown butter crumble Overall, "as good as it gets."

    Wagyu Abura Soba
    Eric Joseph D.

    I have been in love with Noodle in a Haystack and Clint & Yoko since 2016 and I am so happy I finally got to eat at their new restaurant. To be honest, I was unsure when the restaurant would open, but it was definitely worth the wait! The open faced chef's table-esque kitchen and modern/sleek design is extremely welcoming and the lighting is great for photos. I didn't tell Clint & Yoko this, but this was one of my first meals after recovering from food poisoning so I was unsure if I was going to even enjoy it, but oh boy, was this one of my favorite meals of the year. I can talk about all of the dishes in detail, but here are some of my favorites: +Japanese Avocado Toast - Mashed avocado with smoked trout on top of a deep fried donut hole. Finished with finger limes and a cold pressed African Green Chilli oil. This was magical... +Spanish blue fin toro tar tar tart - Toro on top of a tart? Got to love that ingenuity! Inspired by a sushi roll, they top it off with a regular pickle, smoked pickle, and shishito leaf. +Wagyu Abura Ramen - First of all, can we talk about the noodles they are using? Wagyu, wagyu butter, and those beautiful noodles. Come on! I mean come on! I am drooling just thinking about this. This was the star. I could have eaten a couple bowls of this. Also, Clint & Yoko are some of the nicest people I have ever met and it brings me so much joy to eat their food in such a beautiful space. For $150 a person, you get at least 7-8 courses and an intimate dining experience. They are rotating their menu and experimenting with local and seasonal ingredients so my experience will probably be different from the next person, but it is definitely worth trying out if you can snag a reservation!

    Johnny W.

    Summary: So much more than just fancy ramen Details: For the uninitiated, Noodle in a Haystack has been around for many years now, originally operating as a ramen-focused popup at various venues, with reservations that were largely impossible for most to get. Since those early days, the business has evolved significantly, with Clint and Yoko opening up their own brick and mortar space (after many a bureaucratic roadblock), reservations being marginally easier to get (you have a ~15 minute window now instead of ~30 seconds), and the menu having turned into something more akin to kaiseki (though still built around a star noodle dish, of course). I was lucky to nab a last minute opening during their soft launch month, and got to see and taste the fruits of their labor, as my girlfriend and I were treated to a bevy of courses: some, significantly more stellar than others, but all enjoyable in some form, and each presented with a bit of fanfare and background from the couple themselves. While the main noodle (a wagyu aburasoba the day we went) itself was obviously one of the star dishes, their caviar financier, kakuni karaage, and annin kakigori were also particularly outstanding. Absolutely worth a shot if you can snag a reservation. And while $225 after included tax and tip is certainly a steep price for ramen, it's more palatable if you think of it in terms of a tasting menu at a Michelin star restaurant, with the same expectation of care and quality put into the dishes. Accessibility: The space is a bit smaller and comprised of bar counter seating only, but they specifically designed a wheelchair accessible portion with a lower counter towards the far end!

    avocado toast
    Jenny H.

    I had a phenomenal dining experience at Noodle in a Haystack! One glance at the name and you'd immediately think that it's just a ramen shop, but there are SO many layers here. It's an omakase and ramen shop with Asian fusion vibes and a monthly ramen style. They're constantly experimenting with new recipes, so the menu is always changing. The 8 courses ($125/person) were rich with flavor, umami, and creativity. While the star of the show was definitely the beautifully crafted and delicious ramen, the other food elements still lingered in my mind. My taste buds were dancing because I was transported back to my time in Japan. BONUS: Clint and Yoko are super sweet, kind, thoughtful, and knowledgeable! They initially ran their pop-up around the Bay Area, but the Kickstarter project helped bring their dream of opening a shop in SF to life. The current seating arrangement allows each guest to easily communicate with them. Clint explained each dish (and fun facts) with immaculate detail. They also have a special Pi-water filter! Note that this restaurant has no defined menu, so the items below might not be the same when you visit. However, there will probably be variations of these items. Either way, you won't be disappointed :) 1. Avocado toast with chili olive oil: Bite-sized bread with avocado. It looks really simple, but the acidity and flavor were very balanced. 2. Rice crackers with uni and mix of fresh fish: The rice crackers brings me back to my childhood. The uni and fish were incredibly fresh and creamy. I need more of this in my life. 3. Kanpachi with ponzu sauce: Great ponzu sauce with a nice crunch from the onions! 4. Chilled tofu: The sauce was inspired by tantanmen and mala, so you'll get a nice kick of umami. It was so smooth. 5. 16-hour braised pork belly: WOW, the best pork belly that I've ever had. It literally MELTED in my mouth. Smooth like butter *cues BTS song* :) This gave me KBBQ vibes because of the meat + salad combo. 6. Radish and pickled vegetables (shared between 2 people): So refreshing and tasty! I'd love to have this on the side at all times. 7. Abura soba ramen: THE best ramen I've ever had and on the same wavelength as the best ramen places in Japan. This gave me Mi Goreng vibes, but amplified x1000. The onions were sweet and mild without the spicy onion flavor. Their wagyu butter and wagyu fat mousse in the sauce were divine. Soak the noodles with the orange egg yolk for some extra creamy flavor. It was SO FREAKING DELICIOUS. 8. Almond jello with kiwi and shaved ice: Great way to end the night with super light dessert!

    Fried pork belly, greens with veggie dressing and dressed shiso

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Noodle in a Haystack

    Is there a no meat option? For broth, seafood, etc. no problem, but actual meat like chicken/pork/beef is what I am referring to. Thanks!

    It depends on the ramen that is on the menu at the time. If we are doing a meat based ramen then we are unable to make adjustments outside of omitting a meat based topping. However, there may also be other meat based courses as well since we are… 

    Hi, can you accommodate gluten free?

    Unfortunately, we are unable to due to the nature of the tasting menu being ramen centric.

    What days are you open?

    We currently do not have set days. Primarily doing advanced bookings which can be made on our Tock site:… 

    Are you vegetarian or pescatarian friendly?

    No, special dietary preferences are not offered. My recent meal included beef.

    Are the pop ups still happening while the storefront is on hold?

    No more pop-ups, as we are putting all our energy into trying to get the shop open.

    Are there substitutes for Pescatarians? for broth as well. Thanks!

    Not at the moment. It might be something we can do in the future, but currently we just don’t have the resources / space to prepare a full 5+ course pescatarian menu. Thank you!

    How do we make reservations?

    You can visit our website, noodleinhaystack.com for the schedule and link to Tock where you can purchase a ticket. Tickets are released a month in advance, on the 2nd Sunday of the month at 10pm.

    Can't find this place. Where is it exactly?

    We don’t have a permanent space at the moment so we move around a lot. Majority of our current events are hosted in Daly City

    What are the business hours and how long is this pop up staying?

    We don’t have typical business hours because we don’t have a set venue space yet. Our schedule goes up 1 month in advance and tickets are sold to our communal dining events through Tock. You can check our webpage for the dates & links.

    View All 11 Questions

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    2.7 miTenderloin
    $$

    I get very skeptical about japanese izakaya / j skewers because I feel they are usually way over…read morepriced for the value but not gonna lie.... this place exceeded my expectations by a lot. Usually these types of places serve like $5-$8 each skewers that taste bland and not filling/ satisfying. but taniku know how to actually bring out flavor from skewers making it feel more worth it. My best friend and I came here on a whim and really glad we did. The drive up was a little sketchy but the place is a small little unassuming spot - cutesy. There was a line outside and a 10-15 min wait for us (because of how small the place one) but we didn't mind. Service was also a tiny bit odd / slow but I'm not type to care too much about that especially if it's busy and the food comes on reasonable time + food is good. Customers waiting in line outside seemed confused and out of loop kept asking me since I was in front of line if there was a line or waitlist/how long the wait was. Another odd thing is their menu. I saw reviews / pictures of food that wasn't on the paper menu they gave so it was confusing what they actually offered. We ordered the Niku ramen : change to rice bowl (really good portion sizing for japanese place) tasty flavoring. not too meaty taste. kimchi was random but worked well, cut the beef sweetness and savoriness. +Added $5 soft shell crab for topping. Very good. Typically fried soft shell crab. Crispy, crabby. Scallop hand roll: seaweed was a little soft for my liking. scallop quality was very yummy. loved the yuzu. Thought the spicy mayo + yuzu pairing was too much clashing flavors. Pork Belly Skewers: sooo good. Crispy outer. soft inner. Flavorful. Chicken meatball skewer: raw egg sauce helped put it all together enhancing and uplifting the chicken itself. Very yummy. not bland. all together like $60 (not w tip) which is really good for j izakaya. I need come for happy hour

    We've stopped here a couple times in the past month before catching a concert or a movie nearby. We…read morelove Taniku because it's a meal that rarely disappoints. This most recent time my girlfriend was craving ramen but I wasn't so I got creative. I love their black pepper chicken, so I got that and asked for a side of rice. On top of that we got the ribeye skewers and their new snow crab hand roll. The sauce for the black pepper chicken was really really tasty. That sauce over the rice, was so comforting. The ribeye wasn't super tender but tasty. The snow crab hand roll came with so much snow crab, I felt like it's one of the few hand rolls I've had that was filling. If you come for happy hour, they have good deals on ramen. I think like $13ish, which is a great deal. It ends promptly at 5:30, so plan to get there well before 5:30 if you are looking to take advantage. Something to think about it, Theres no sign up list for waiting for tables, and everyone who's waiting just lines up outside and down the block (no waiting inside). While the ramen (especially their Niku ramen) is still a solid choice. Piecing together meal with some appetizers and a side of rice might be my go-to way of ordering here now. Taniku really does do a lot of things well and the food is always tasty.

    Photos
    Taniku Izakaya - Interior

    Interior

    Taniku Izakaya - Scallop corn chowder - FIRE !

    Scallop corn chowder - FIRE !

    Taniku Izakaya - Calamari

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    Calamari

    Noodle in a Haystack - ramen - Updated September 2026

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