Don't expect top tier ramen. I'm still trying to find a new ramen spot that serves authentic cuisine, but this is like a fast food ramen joint. If anything, I'd go to Marugame udon or Marufuku in Oakland. I didn't like the quality of ingredients. I guess you get what you pay for. My food arrived on time via doordash but the broth is awfully greasy. read more

I ordered from a touch screen. The staff was very friendly. Food came out in a timely manner. But just not the best ramen I've had. Disappointed. We ordered the shrimp ramen (my daughter and I didn't like it) My Som ordered the garlic ramen, better taste but not up to standards. We paid $40 for these two orders...I added extra noodles for each order. read more

I ordered take out and the ramen soup tasted like water. There was absolutely no flavor and the chicken was not fresh. They also gave me half of the egg instead of the whole egg as advertised on the menu. read more

Yummmmm!!! This is my go to place for a hot bowl of ramen. I love the veggie broth with the tofu, medium spice and black garlic oil. During this pandemic Ramen 101 has been a life saver when I just don't feel like cooking. The customer service is always pleasant and there is never a wait if you are ordering online or call in. Great job!!!! read more

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3.5 stars actually. Prices sadly went up here and now a standard bowl is $11.50. I still prefer to go to a non chain for my ramen, but it's local and I like this place better than the ramen at the public market in cv. It's your standard bowl of ramen across the board for all their locations. The tonkatsu broth doesn't taste as rich or "authentic" as I'd like it to be even with the new changes to the broth. Then again, I'm comparing it those in SoCal. It is a bit bland, but portion size is pretty big compared to other ramen locations. Noodles are good...firm and thick but don't taste authentic either. Food is very fresh and made to order. Would have given a higher rating but the ramen is what this place should be about. Yelp Check in offer for a free appetizer! I'm not a fan of oysters but my family raves about how the fried oysters are the best they've ever had and said it tops everything. They are so good they can't stop talking about them. Chicken karaage portion is huge and fried light and crispy, just right but lacks flavor. The spicy mayo that comes w it isn't all that spicy or flavorful in my opinion. Family also likes the whole squid, which is also a huge portion. In the same lot as Luckys. The workers are always nice. This place can get quite busy. Call in the order easily with pick up within 15 mins or so. read more

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I super love Ramen 101, but this review is for today's order - Geso Fry. We always have this when we dine there but today, I ordered To Go and so disappointed they gave us so little for $9 bucks. I only ate 3 pcs but check the photo. Super disappointed! read more

Ramen 101 - Geso Fry - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California

My housemates and I had a craving for Ramen and this place was on DoorDash and nearby. I cannot attest to their Covid precautions, so I will not comment on that. When our food arrived, it was still somewhat warm. All of the ingredients are separated, which made it easier to see what was in it. I had a medium spicy broth, to go along with my basic ramen and black garlic oil. I heated the broth for about 3-4 minutes, and then I slowly poured that into the bowl. I added the garlic oil in the end, to get that deep colored broth. Overall, it was not bad. It was a little bit salty, but I felt like everything paired well. I did like the black garlic a lot, and it added a depth of flavor for me. I just wish I had more chasu pork than what was given to me. It was a bit pricey though, when all is said and done. My verdict is, I would consider coming back here again, although maybe cutting back on some items to not make it feel like a $20 meal. read more

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This place used to be awesome. Went in recently and there were signs saying no mushrooms and no fish cakes. And at 12:15 on a Wednesday there were no other customers. How does a ramen shop run out of mushrooms with no customers? Unfortunately we still ordered. My tonkatsu soup was insipid - no collagen mouthfeel or taste. The noodles were undercooked. I couldn't finish my food and had to go elsewhere to get food to eat. Quite honestly, I've had better instant ramen. Staff refused to take our orders and made us use their horrible self-ordering system. I will never go back to this place. $15 for a horrible bowl of ramen is not acceptable. read more

Conveniently located in middle of Castro Valley, the ramen was pretty decent but not out of this world. It's what you expect from a chain. However, the service was fast and the establishment was clean which I appreciate very much! There's something to be said about a business that takes pride in making customers comfortable and happy. Overall I had a nice experience and I will definitely return here if I am craving ramen in a pinch! read more

I have seen Ramen 101 all over the Bay Area but have never actually tried it. I came here for lunch since we didn't see anything else that we want in the area on a cold day. Located in a strip mall. Not crowded at all. You order it at the counter then they will bring it to you at the table. It's not the best ramen but it works if you just want to have a quick ramen day. read more

Food was pretty good, nothing spectacular, but pretty good. My friend ordered unagi rice and she said it was really good. I ordered the pork bone with seafood ramen, and that was ok.. not as warm as I usually like my soup, I asked them hear up a little longer. My other friend ordered the octopus which was pretty good with the sauce. We also had the vegetable tempura, nothing special except the batter they used was a little different than typical tempura. The service was very good. They were pretty busy and still super attentive with us. Even with my ramen, the cook was very apologetic about it. read more

Ramen 101 - Pork bone ramen with seafood - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California

WHEN: Thursday @6:30pm I came here a couple of months ago and remember how much I liked it. Here's the low-down: You get in line and place your order first. The ramen is customizable where you pick the following: RAMEN BASE PRICE: $11 Step 1 - Choose Ramen: Tonkotsu, Shoyu, Miso, or veggie Step 2 - Choose Spicy Level: None, Mild, Medium, orSpicy Step 3 - Choose Protein: Chashu (pork), Chicken, Tofu, or Seafood (+$3) Step 4 - Choose Toppings: 3 different sets to choose from Step 5 - Add extras (optional): different add-ons to choose from! Then find your seat and place your number so when your food is ready, it is brought to you. This place is quite small so the line will come out the door, and tables are limited. I was worried because I was meeting my sis here with her baby in a stroller. Luckily a 2-seater by the fridge opened and it was a good enough amount of space for us 3. I got here just before it got really busy. Here's what we had: RAMEN - CLASSIC - $11 + Tonkotsu (Pork Bone) + Non-Spicy + Chashu (pork) + Topping - #1 Classic: Black Garlic Oil, Fried Garlic, Corn, Sprout, Corn, Sprout, Green Onion, Bamboo shoot. + Soft Boiled Egg (+$1) I got this so I can share with my nephew, which he enjoyed very much...I did too! The soft boiled egg was how I liked it--soft with gooey yolk. The flavor is good and everything was simply wonderful. RAMEN - CLASSIC - $11 + Tonkotsu (Pork Bone) + Medium + Chashu (pork) + Topping - #2 Black Garlic: Fish Cake, Mushroom, Soft Boiled Egg, Sprout, Green Onion, Bamboo shoot. This was my sister's bowl which I took a bite or two. I liked the black garlic--lots of chunks of garlic! The chashu was tender and overall this bowl was yummy. Too bad I can't really do spicy food. UNAGI RICE - $8 Grilled Japanese eel on rice topped off with sesame and unagi sauce. I'm so glad we got this because it was so yummy and cheap! This bowl was really enjoyable. Overall, I enjoyed myself here. The staff were super patient and friendly, despite the busy dinner time hours. The food was good and the prices were very reasonable. It's in a great location (I walked over from BART) where there free parking. I hope to come back here again soon! read more

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I was just driving by because I have been craving Ramen and I found this place on a limb and let me tell you! I found a gold mine! The lady who assisted me was Gabby and she worked so hard! I truly admire the service here and the commitment to uphold a high standard. This place comes highly recommended. read more

Fast food ramen but the ramen was decent. Had the tonkatsu ramen. Also spam masubi which my kids loved. Good service as well.

The restaurant has changed from before. It still has ramen noodles, but now with lots of Korean dishes. I enjoyed the Tonkotsu Pork Ramen Noodle Soup with the rich broth. But I am really hooked to their tteokbokki (stirred-fried rice stick) with either a sweet or spicy sauce, so chewy and delicious. Goes well with the grilled octopus. I plan to have that combination once a week. The service is excellent - helpful and with a smile. I asked for low-sodium, and the lady gladly accommodated. read more

My family and I were looking for a place to eat after going to the Hayward Night Market, and my sister suggested the place "Aria" because she used to get lunch at the location in SF. I remember the place and it was great, so decided to go. Firstly, it was a bit confusing to find because it is indeed inside the Ramen 101, but there aren't any big signs showing that its there. Once inside, we ordered at the kiosk and took a seat. Slowly we started to get our food. First the crab Rangoon, the grilled octopus, and the rose tteokkbokki came out. The Rangoons were ehh, but we finished it. The squid felt like it was Moreso boiled instead of grilled, and the sauces they put on top didn't necessarily match well. As for the rose tteokkbokki.... it was just all cream and cheese. To my understanding, it should still be similarly made to a regular tteokkbokki but with cream in it. So I asked our server and she went to check if we could either get the gochujang/gochugaru added in, or if not to just exchange it for the spicy tteokkbokki. She came back and told us the cook would make a new one, which was appreciated. The thing was, the spicy tteokkbooki wasn't spicy, it mainly just tasted like tomato paste. The tteokk was also a bit overcooked and mushy. For the main dishes, I got the soy garlic bowl (Aria), my sister got the sweet and spicy bowl (Aria), my other sister one of the Ramens (Ramen 101), and my mom a bibimbap (Aria). My mom enjoyed her food. She mentioned how the meat ratio was a bit small, but didn't mind the taste. My youngest sister got the Ramen, and the broth and noodles were pretty ok. The chasu though wasn't that great. For the sweet and spicy bowl my other sister got, she enjoyed it and ate majority of it. I had a bit also and it was okay (though this for sure is just a flavor preference for me). As for the soy garlic bowl I got.... soy garlic is my favorite flavor for Korean fried chicken, and honestly this was just very disappointing. It wasn't just the flavor, but the taste of the chicken itself was just... off. My sister tried it and she did not like it either. She described it as tasting rubbery. Overall, I wouldn't come back. We couldn't even bring ourselves to pack the left overs, and we just felt bad overall just spending so much money to not enjoy our food. (We paid about $120 including tip, around $95 before tip and tax) read more

The food was old! It had a bad shadow taste of something that was sitting in the freezer for a very long time and they still attempted to cook it. Also pay attention to the eggs, they have a brownish tint and a strong odor. read more

Ramen 101 offers some of the best fast casual dining experiences in the area. You walk up, place your order, find a seat, then your order is walked out to your table. The menu ranges from a plethora of appetizers to different varieties of ramen. My favorites are the spam musubi, crab rangoon, and the agedashi tofu is especially delicious with copious amounts of bonito flakes sprinkled on top. I've personally tried the signature tonkotsu ramen as well as their black garlic ramen, and have enjoyed both. The black garlic ramen doesn't come with a traditional soft boiled egg (you'll have to add that on), but it does come with a delicious crunchy garlic topping. For fast service while ordering to go, make sure to call your order in or order online through the Yelp app! Happy slurping. read more

Popular ramen place that just opened up recently in downtown Castro Valley. You get to customize your own ramen for $11.50. Pick a broth. Pick a protein. Pick spiciness level. Pick a set of toppings. Broths include tonkotsu, shoyu, miso, or veggie. Protein includes chashu, chicken, tofu, or seafood. Toppings include classic, black garlic, or buttery. Service was pleasant, but I wasn't wowed by any of the dishes ordered. The crab rangoon came out hot but just tasted mostly of cheese. The grilled squid just tasted sweet with not much complexity in flavor. The soft boiled egg was more like a hardboiled egg and the tonkotsu broth was okay, but didn't blow my mind. Overall, I thought it was okay. read more

Ramen 101 - Grilled whole squid and crab rangoon - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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My last visit to this restaurant was the most disappointing so far. I don't know if there is new management or a new chef, but the staff was certainly all different...with a young teenager (it seemed) manning the cash register. But really my issue is with the food. In the past, when I ordered the "spicy" level, you got some "put hair on your chest" level of spiciness! My last order here was a watered down level of spiciness and missing the black garlic topping. I was so disappointed with the quality and taste of the food. I had also asked for no corn as for the vegetables and asked if they could substitute that with some extra bean sprouts and the "cashier" made a note of it. But he did not tell me that they don't do substitutions and that there would be an extra charge for the sprouts. I only saw it when I looked at the bill later that there was the extra charge for the sprouts. Note to management/owners: don't blindside customers...if there is an extra charge for something, let the customer know! If you don't do substitutions on toppings just say so and let the customer know up front. read more

First time eating Ramen and it was delicious. I had the black garlic one & my daughter had the miso one. There was so much garlic! Delicious!The only thing I'd say wasn't the best was the egg was overcooked & it wasn't as spicy as I'd like . read more

Yummy! I first discovered this place couple years ago at the original San Leandro location so I was happy to hear there was one in Castro Valley. There aren't many ramen shops here in the East Bay but this is definitely good enough. Don't expect too much especially for the price, it's very good ramen for what you're paying for. I really love the ramen here and the portions are great. I usually get a ton katsu ramen with black garlic and pork. The potstickers and shrimp tempura are also very good on the side. The food here is so filling and satisfying on a cold day. Orders come out pretty quick as well so you'll be in and out within 30 minutes (if you eat fast like my bf and I). They employees are also super nice and friendly too. Overall a very nice environment. Would return here! read more

I'm actually very disappointed in this place. I was expecting and hoping for a lot more in terms of quality of the ramen. It seems that many East Bay restaurants are taking a liking to the concept of ordering first and then sitting down. The main problem I have with that is when a line forms and there is very limited seating. For the longest time, no one could even order or sit down at Ramen 101 because being the new and one of the few ramen restaurants in Castro Valley, people wanted to stop in and check it out. It took over 30 minutes to get to the front of the line to order even after about a month or so of the grand opening. The first time I tried going, my friend and I decided not to even wait anymore and went to another ramen spot in Hayward. I'm sure the hype has died down now though. When my family and I went to try the place, we were sorely disappointed by the quality and lack of authenticity of the ramen. I wouldn't say I'm a ramen connoisseur, but I definitely know the difference between good ramen and bad ramen. The noodles broke apart easily upon lifting the noodles out of the bowl because they were so overcooked or something. The soup broth lacked decent flavor. Most of my family didn't wanna finish their ramen sadly. The upside to the meal were the appetizers. They were fried pretty perfectly and had great taste. If I came back here, it would likely be solely for the appetizers of tempura or karaage. read more

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Love the new sushi menu they have the rolls are big for cheap and the ramen is still great also tried the teppoki which was delicious

McDonald's is to the hamburger as Ramen 101 is to ramen. This location offers excellent customer service from well-informed staff. For individuals interested in familiarizing themselves with the concept, this is a great spot. It's also an excellent spot for a quick lunch bite. The ramen is basic yet decently made. The miso broth is delicious. Yet the boiled egg, tofu, and flavor of fried garlic are basic tastes. I would consider myself a ramen connoisseur, and my rating is solely based on customer service and helpful staff. read more

Ramen 101 - Black Garlic Ramen with miso broth. - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Convenient location. Small, but clean. Parking was easy. People are friendly. Ramen was good. Not bad. But, not the best for me. They offer a good selection, noodles, meat, broth and plenty of sides (rice, tempura, cucumber salad, etc...) Went here before heading to SF. Food was tasty and came out in a few mins. No need for reservations. Just come in, order and find a table. Pricing was good. 4 stars only because, I think the broth cld be better. Don't get me wrong, it is more than delicious amd worth it. So go and check it out. read more

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Sadly I wouldn't recommend. I ordered spicy black garlic , and for starters it wasn't spicy and secondly the broth tasted purely like oil with a splash of garlic. My noodles were extremely firm. But honestly the most upsetting is the oily broth(which is the main ingredient) read more

i love eating at ramen 101! the food was extremely flavorful and the portions were amazing. great service and the staff were super kind and welcoming! read more

I tried the hot stone bibimbap with beef and it came sizzling with the rice perfectly crunchy on the bottom. The sauce added so much flavor, and the beef was marinated perfectly. The service was welcoming and the vibes were great. read more

Came to pick up Ramen, everything in the order was correct. They had a check-in offer I asked to use when I came in and they accommodated me on the spot. Service was great, and really fast. They made the appetizer then and there with no fuss. Food tasted great, very hearty broth. I thought the noodles still had a nice bite to it. Out if 3 diff, customized ramens, everyone enjoyed their bowl. The only thing I will say, but am not quite sure about was freshness. I had to use the bathroom immediately after both times I sat down to eat my portion. When I finished the second time and poured the remaining broth away - there was a really old, sour smell coming from the trashcan like and hour or two later. But maybe that just happens? I don't usually order ramen to go, so I'm not sure. read more

I'm giving two stars. There was nothing positive about the meals. Not shown were two ramen dishes... A Miso and a Tonkatsu. Both had so much oil you could see it floating. The only saving grace was the noodles were done well. The squid legs were not crispy at all. We didn't eat more than a nibble because it was so bad. That never happens. The chicken rice bowl was basically old rice with a can of veggies tossed on it with greasy chicken. Everyone ran for the antacid after eating only half. We have been to Ramen 101 in a different city and had a much better time. Lastly, we reviewed the menu online. We wanted Chicken Katsu but the local place didn't carry it. The prices were also $2 more at the place. If I could get a refund I would. read more

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Every bite was packed with flavor, the ingredients were fresh, and the presentation was spot on. The service was quick and friendly. I'll definitely be coming back for more. read more

Great food! Good options for vegetarians. They do customisations as per your requirements. Service was quick. A clean and small joint. One of the good ramen spot after ramen nagi! read more

The quality of foods are significantly improved after the new ownership. I was here sometime last year and I was not pleased but I ordered 2 ramens and chicken karaage today with my wife and we were both so impressed that we had to made another take out order of tuna mayo rice bowl for for my daughter. You have to taste their new menu Korean style Kimchi Spam Ramen was one of the best for us. What a big improvements. I always appreciate the restaurants with great food. Here are some samples of pictures. read more

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I'm a huge fan of the San Leandro location, and tried this new spot for the first time since it's closer to my house. My excitement didn't last long when I realized that although the items the menus are similar, the ingredients and preparation of the food is not the same. My broth was extremely heavy and oily compared to the other location. The chicken Karaage was not even chicken Karaage. It looked more like chicken Katsu, except the breading was very thin and soft. No crunch at all! read more

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OK, so disclaimer: some other Bay Area ramen shops have raised the bar so high that I struggle to give three or four stars to places that are just ok. I like Ramen 101 for the convenience because it's close to home and mostly hits the spot when I'm craving some super garlicky ramen, but don't want to drive too far. Is the ramen the absolute best I've ever had? No. Is it awful? Also no. Is it just ok? Yup. read more

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Y'all. I found a little bug surfaced on the ramen and a shell (looks like it's from clam? See picture attached) in my ramen when I got home. This is actually scary for anyone who is allergic to shellfish because imagine eating ramen that has been contaminated with shellfish and you're allergic and end up having a bad reaction ending up in the hospital. Piece of shell found in my ramen. Dangerous for people who are allergic to shellfish and this was accidentally in there. Also a choking hazard if you're drinking the soup from the bowl and accidentally ingest the shell that could get stuck in your throat. We ordered tonkotsu ramen, karage, and black garlic ramen. Taste was subpar. Nothing special. Karage was extra dry. read more

Ramen 101 - shell found in my ramen. Allergy and choking hazard. - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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We ordered at the kiosk upon entry and the food was ready in about 20 minutes. We took ours to go. We customized our order since we have a picky eater and they got the order correct. The food is also good. Our kid gave it a 4.2 stars on soup flavor. He ordered the medium spicy Tonkatsu. We will definitely go back for more. read more

First time here, was in the mood for some ramen on this cold evening and this place hit the spot! Ordered the tonkatsu and it was a winner! Perfectly seasoned - great broth flavor - generous portions - good thick noodles! A+ all around with my first experience here. Highly recommend and will repeat! read more

Ramen 101 - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I was excited to try this place but it fell flat. Upon arrival, you order the broth you like, the protein and the toppings. I opted for the spicy veggie broth with tofu and topping 1(bamboo shoots, egg, fish balls, sprouts and I can't remember what else). The broth was not spicy and lacked seasoning. The noodles, meh. The best part was the egg which had a unique flavor that gave the dish a pop. The employees were really nice and quick. I had high hopes but was disappointed. I hope the above is due to it being a new establishment and hope they grow into their own. read more

Ramen 101 - Ramen Near Me - Castro Valley, California