Great service and good food. We had two active toddlers and the staff accommodated us. They even gave kids toys

Revising Update: 3 to 5 stars Made another stop to give the Tonkatsu a shot again and this time, it was definitely less saltier than the last! Tasted just like what you'd expect from Tonkatsu Ramen with its creaminess and savory broth. We also got a shoyu and miso ramen plus a takoyaki, which also were great as well on taste and quantity. You can get satisfied with the amount they give here and the pricing is still great! Service was friendly and they give you the option to pay in person if you're not used to the website. After this visit, I'll definitely be planning to stop by more and recommending to others! read more

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Ramen Champ was delicious! I live in the neighborhood and it's the first time I tried this place. I didn't know it was what it is. Super cute inside. Great vibes. Food was super tasty. I had a chicken dish and the boyfriend had one of the their ramen specials. Everyone was very polite, smiling and friendly. We will definitely be back. read more

Best ramen I've ever had in a while ! They are quite busy, so make sure you get there early. Small and narrow ramen shop. The decor makes me miss Japan. The broth was so rich and flavorful. The noodles taste like homemade. Service was fast. You can order and pay by scanning the code or with the waitress directly. Very efficient. If you can't finish the ramen, you can togo and they will give you two separate containers one for the broth and one for the noodles. I like that ! Will come back if I ever in town and crave for ramen. read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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The restaurant is so cute! There's not a lot of seating and it fills up fast. On weekdays they're lunch hour is not that long, so make sure to come early. Got the chicken karrage and tonkotsu ramen. Very quick service and great staff. If you're in the area, I highly recommend trying! read more

Ramen Champ - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Visiting my brother at Kaiser hospital and stop by this Ramen place for dinner. Quite tasty. Love the meat (pork). Very tender. The broth is a bit salty for my taste, but otherwise, the ramen is good. read more

Ramen Champ - Shoyu ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Brrrrrr!!! It's freezing outside! Winter means ramen cravings are out of control! One day, I was curious when a new ramen spot opened up in South San Jose. I'm glad I stumbled upon this location because I was pleased with the food quality and attentive service. When I walked into the place, it was had this dark earthy vibe and not only that the food blew me by surprise. I got the Yuzu Shio. It was light and refreshing, You can taste a bit of yuzu, which came through this delectable soup base, smelled amazing. The ramen itself was filling and hearty. It hit the spot. I will be back! :-) 10/10 read more

Brah honest truth by far best ramen I've had in mainland since having really bomb ones in Japan when I was still in the Marine Corps. Hands down the best! Got their Tonkatsu Tonkatsu ramen and the overall broth, to the noodles, and the katsu itself was just so so good. Highly recommend! read more

I've been to Ramen Champ a couple of times this year. My first visit was in April, and I tried their karaage chicken and tonkotsu ramen w/an added egg. The most striking thing I noticed on that visit was the strong scent of bleach. I suppose there are worse smells, but it was a bit off-putting right before eating. The other logistical detail that still seemed odd to me was paying for my meal including tip up front instead of waiting to see how the service was. The tonkotsu broth was tasty and I'm glad I added an egg. The karaage chicken was okay, but nothing really noteworthy. My second visit was just a couple of weeks ago when my sister and nephew joined me for lunch at Ramen Champ. We started with orders of edamame & karaage chicken. My sister ordered tonkotsu ramen with additional noodles for my nephew. I tried the limited Buta Max Ramen, which featured pork belly, chashu, pork back fat, garlic, and beansprouts. I love me some garlic, but even for me, the huge mound of raw garlic was too much. I loved the noodles in my ramen. I don't remember reading anything on the menu specifically about those noodles, but they had a great chew and irregularity in their shape. They ate like hand-pulled noodles. The noodles I had were different than the noodles in my sister's ramen. I had enough leftovers that I only needed to add a little more broth and had enough for another meal. I also added fresh green onions. read more

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Oooo we came across Ramen Champ looking for a place to eat nearby cause we were going to Costco Cottle. It's quite a drive for us but Senter Costco is way too packed so we drive out to Southside. I am so happy we found this ramen place, a hidden gem tucked in a plaza. It's a small and cute little resto with very close table arrangements, but the service is attentive and quick. The price is so so good, 4 bowls plus 2 appetizers is only $90! The quality is delicious and the habanero had a good kick but not all crazy, I added more chilli! The tonkotsu broth is creamy and thick, the chasu is so tender and soft! The only thing I wished they offer was a soft boiled egg as a topping. But overall, we will def be coming back when we are on this side of town and do recommend this place! Yum!! read more

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was excited to try the buta ramen but i liked the broth of the habanero tonkatsu even more. noodle texture was very good on both ramens though i usually like them even more undercooked. ebi mayo and karaage were both very tasty. you order and pay through a qr code so you barely interact with staff. we came on a weekday lunch so it was pretty quiet and started filling up by 12:30. read more

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Last time I visited was before their space expansion, and it was one of my favorite spots in the South Bay. Just came back recently and shared 2 ramen. Both were bland and not good at all. Menu is the same, not sure if the chef/recipe changed but would not come back. read more

Great local spot for ramen in the south side of SJ. Small but mighty location. We definitely will be back. Nice folks servicing the tables and clean environment. Lots of parking. read more

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genuinely the best ramen ive ever had i licked the plate clean thank you ramen champ for this delectable meal read more

Ramen Champ - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

Noodles were not what I expecting. It's thick version like chow mein & chewy. Not my type. Very tight, narrow restaurant with limited seating. Plenty of parking. Order on the QR code menu or in person. If you order online, you pay before your meal, which is weird cause you are choosing your tip level already. The miso ramen broth was so salty. They only had kakuni pork, which didn't help the broth salt level. I prefer the chashu pork more. I paid extra for the soft boiled egg. It was cooked perfectly! Takoyaki was very good. Crab cream croquette was creamy and not bad. Price for the ramen is fair because of the portion size. Idk if I'd come back tho.. not my fave ramen spot. Get the takoyaki! Yum. read more

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Paid via the QR code after scanning and ordering from the menu. Ramen Champ is located in the same plaza as Tea Era and offers a lot of plaza parking. It is a small restaurant and can only fit maybe 20 people. I went in on a Friday for lunch at 11:35 AM, right after it opened, and one of the servers was sitting at a table but didn't realize they were open yet. I was easily able to sit anywhere but the tables quickly filled up. I was easily able to order from the QR code at the table. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and cucumber appetizer and my friend ordered the miso ramen and cucumber appetizer. Didn't care for the tonkatsu ramen at all and didn't eat it. There were a lot of fat deposits and parts of the broth I would expect to be scooped out during the boiling process and the noodles weren't cooked well. The cucumbers were decent so I ate those. My friend said the miso ramen was too sweet. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd come back to Ramen Champ. It was $50 for the meal but I don't think it was worth it. read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkatsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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Their Shoyu based ramen (Buta ramen) is the best in the area. The egg noodle is thicker side for Shoyu ramen, but broth is thick so I think it goes well with it although some people prefer thinner noodle. I love how it has so much garlic and flavorful it is. Price is pretty good as it comes with a lot of topping and egg. I also liked their Tsukemen, especially the noodle, but broth got too sweet as I eat more of it. it is still good but my favorite is definitely Buta ramen ! read more

Ramen Champ - Buta Shoyu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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Finally visited this place even though I live 5 minutes away LOL ! Nonetheless, my friend and I arrived right when they opened at 5:30 pm on a Monday night, and there were groups of people walking in as well. Throughout our dining experience, there was a steady flow of diners. This place isn't that spacious, so pairs of two or trios are best to dine here... Yet, the decor and atmosphere does remind me of an authentic Japanese ramen bar but with a bit of a modern twist. Ordered through the self-serve system, so I was able to take my time ordering and looking through each item of the menu. What was ordered -Cucumber Salad: super refreshing on a warm summer day! The cucumbers were crunchy, fresh, and cold. The spicy seasoning was well done and balanced well with the cold, moisture of the cucumbers. Not bite sized but more like cucumber logs Chicken Kaarage: WOW, it was huge servings of chicken. I though there were bones because of the size, but it was all chicken! Super flavorful, crunchy, and juicy. Partner it with mayonnaise and lemon juice, and it's a party of sour, salty, and savory. Would order this again!! Cold Noodles Special: Not my favorite, I've tried cold noodles before, and this dish was alright. Great presentation for the eyes, but the taste was off-putting, mostly in the soup broth/sauce. The noodles didn't quite soak well with the sauce underneath nor give it that much flavor too. The sauce was tangy. But, I'll stick to warm noodles moving forward... read more

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Great ramen. Tried the habanero ramen and it was excellent. Has a very good kick but not extremely spicy. Would definitely come back read more

Ramen Champ - Habanero Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

3.5/4 I was looking for a quick spot to get some lunch and have been craving Ramen for the longest. I found this spot on Yelp and with an out before closing made my way there. I arrived and was greeted and directed to my table. The place was busy! Most of the tables were busy and I had to wait a couple minutes while a table was cleaned. I sat down and saw a QR to scan an order. I figured this is the way everyone orders as no one came up to take my order. I scanned it and it took me to the menu and I ordered a Tonkotsu Ramen add Egg for a total of $17.83 My order arrived within 10 minutes. The presentation could have been more neat. I took a sip of the broth before doing anything else and the taste was delicious. The noodles were too hard for me. The pork portion was plenty and fell apart easily. The egg was extra $ and was over cooked. Nothing dripped out of my egg. I had asked for hot sauce when I ordered but didn't receive it. The guy who brought out my order asked if wanted any hot sauce and he brought some out. This altered the taste of the broth but wasn't spicy. There's tables in every corner possible. It was just me eating and the place I was sitting in had 3 other tables for 2 people. We were so closed together it was awkward sitting eating looking in any direction. I'm not a fan of cluttered small eating areas. The guy who brought out my order came to make sure everything was good. He walked up and down the small walkway to meet customers or check in often. He would clean up tables quickly and I'm not sure if this was because they close at 1:30pm or that's just how it is but I felt rushed. Beyond the few interactions with him that was all the customer service. Pretty much scan QR code, order, pay, eat, and be on your way. The ramen was good but not worth the almost $18 w/o tip. That's a whole meal with a drink at other places. read more

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I' so glad to finally have great and authentic ramen place in our neighborhood. Great place

Decided to check out Ramen Champ for dinner with some friends on a Friday night. Ramen Champ is located in a plaza with plenty of parking. They also have an online menu for you to order your food from and pay for it. For our entrees, we got the Salmon & Tuna Rice Bowl, Tonkatsu Ramen, and the Buta Moyashi Ramen. The Salmon & Tuna Rice Bowl came with a mini salad on the side which was really good. I enjoyed the dressing on it. The bowl itself came with minced fatty tuna and fresh salmon over rice with green onions, seaweed salad, and pickles. The portion size was a decent, but the bowl was just ok for me. I honestly wanted to like it more, but the flavors were just a bit bland? The Tonkatsu Ramen is a chicken and pork based broth topped with kakuni chashu pork, bean sprouts, cabbage, kikurage mushroom, pork back-fat, green onion, nori seaweed, and deep fried burdock chips. There was literally just 1 piece of cabbage in the ramen and the broth was very heavy tasting since it was creamy. It was also a bit salty to my tasting. I tried to enhance the flavors by adding the spice to it, but it made it even salty. It was a miss for me. The Buta Moyashi Ramen is pork based shoyu broth topped with kakuni pork chashu, cabbage, bean sprouts, pork back-fat, egg, garlic, black pepper. It def had a big peppery taste with every bit and was loaded with tons of cabbage (wondering if maybe that's where the cabbage for the tonkatsu ramen went). This was probably my favorite compared to the tonkatsu. Overall, everything was just ok. The service could have been better. We had to wave down the servers for any to-go containers, water refills, and questions. I felt like they could have been more attentive because the place wasn't busy plus, all the ordering was done online too. read more

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Local ramen shop and we each ordered a tonkotsu broth ramen. I had the standard tonkotsu ramen and loved the broth and chewy noodles. My husband ordered the tonkatsu with tonkotsu broth ramen and he loved it as well. We shared the chicken karaage and honestly the ramen is very filling and we could have skipped the chicken karaage. The chicken was nicely fried, not greasy and the coating was very good. We did eat it and left nothing behind as it was that tasty. Coming in again to check out their newly opened Bento Shop next door. That place is only open during lunch hours so will be stopping by to get some lunch grub soon. read more

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Everything we ordered waz amazing, very flavorful and enjoyable. I was like Ratatouille in that one scene where he combined the strawberry and cheese and it exploded in his mouth, well I experienced that with the ramen and their sauce they had on the side. Very delicious! Great customer service as well! We will be coming back. read more

Ramen Champ - Habanero Tonkotsu Ramen with an egg added - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

If their goal is to overwhelm your palate, then they certainly are winners. Ramen Champ is a new restaurant in South San Jose about a block away from Kaiser Permanente. I rhymed, apparently. Also, they reportedly took over a former family-owned place and are now quietly dishing out ramen, rice bowls, curry rices, and appetizers in the suburbs with nary a mention on such forums as the San Jose subreddit. It was from that same subreddit where I saw a graph highlighting Ramen Champ's reportedly high ratings and thus suggested it for lunch with my cousin when I was in town for a visit. The servers strongly encourage online ordering and even accommodate multiple concurrent orders per table. Each person who is paying just needs to check the QR code at the table, scroll down and make their orders, check out when done, and hopefully manage to navigate the Powered by Square payment system. (I couldn't add a new credit card so I simply resorted to charging my saved credit card for the transaction.) We shared some appetizers. Takoyaki ($7.00, 6 pc) was very tasty and had all the requisite toppings, including kewpie mayo, takoyaki sauce, bonito flakes, and shredded nori. There was even a bed of mixed greens. I thought the tako (octopus) in the middle was cooked nicely, but the batter was a bit too mushy inside and not airy enough. Salmon carpaccio ($12.50) actually came with seared instead of raw salmon and had tasty dressing and green onions on top, plus mixed greens and a side of seaweed salad. I did like both, although they're they more in the "very good" than "excellent" category. My order, the Buta Max Ramen ($18.00) was a very hefty bowl. I am guessing they went at least +50% on ramen and pork over the regular portion, if not outright doubling it. However, it was not fullness that forced me to request to-go containers, but the heavy toll on the palate. The shoyu broth is surprisingly strong, even more so than the Tonkotsu ramen ($14.80) that felt balanced if lighter than other great tonkotsu broths, perhaps by virtue of using both chicken and pork in the broth. The thick noodles with their proper al dente-ness and the slightly tough kakuni pork also contributed to the feeling that this was more of a chore than a delight. I did enjoy the other components, including soft-boiled egg, cabbage, bean sprouts, and copious amounts of garlic, but I would highly caution others away from the allure of "only 15 servings per lunch/dinner!" I lower-case liked Ramen Champ and would say stick with the tonkotsu ramen if you're going for a brothy bowl. It's a good spot, but it's more of a local contender than a regionally competitive restaurant. read more

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I finally got to try this spot out after eyeing it for a while! And so glad I was able to finally try it out! The location is in a plaza across from rite aid, there's lots of parking. From the outside it doesn't look as pleasing, but it's super cute inside! Got seated right away and was provided water as soon as we sat down. I truly appreciate when a restaurant gives water without asking. You also order with a QR code and browse through the menu on your phone. I think ordering through a link is so much easier and efficient! We ordered this chicken appetizer (I forgot what it was called, but it was not karagge) and two different types of Ramen- Miso and Tonkatsu. I ordered the miso with an egg for an extra $1.50. The food came out super quick! The portions of the soups were huge! From the first looks of it, it looks salty but it honestly was the perfect amount of saltiness for both broths. The Tonkatsu broth was very garlicky and had a nice cream add to it. The Miso was my favorite! Flavor of the broth was on point, and the amount of toppings in the ramen was just the right amount. There was also a good amount of noodles, and texture was not too soft/not too hard. I was pretty full and had a good amount to take home. So glad I have a delicious ramen spot nearby! Excited to come back or even get some for take out :P read more

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This was my second time coming here since they opened. I enjoyed it the first time especially since I was missing a real ramen style restaurant. Since then they have increased the size of the dining room which is even better. Their menu has expanded as well. The first time I missed some add ons not realizing I needed to scroll down farther down on my phone but learned my lesson this time. I had the tonkotsu ramen which again was very good. We also had the hamachi appetizer which was even better than I had expected. My husband also had a ramen which he also really liked and my daughter had a bowl meal. Can't wait to come back again read more

Pros: - Big menu of items with a variety of ramen, appetizers, drinks, and local beers. They have a max butter special which looks amazing too - The tonkotsu broth was excellent and had a lot of creamy flavor - Uses and app to order which makes the transaction easier. You order and can re-order then pay ahead so you can just walk away when you're done Cons: - The meats are chunks of pork belly. I usually like having thin slices for ramen especially in tonkotsu broth. - Pricey - $18 for ramen and $4 for extras is a bit much for ramen. Might be the norm now but thought could be a bit extra - Limited tables. For party of 2 or 4, you're fine, but anything more you're in trouble here. Overall - the ramen was ok, I might go back to try to butter max special. Would give it a 3.5 stars if we could do half stars, but will do 4 as the service was great too! read more

Ramen Champ - Karaage was outstanding! - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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I came back here and the soup had 2 pieces of meat that were both overcooked and my noodles were severely undercooked- inedible. I don't think I'll be back. read more

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We got the agedashi tofu, takoyaki and tonkatsu ramen. We were really surprised on how the ramen tasted! So good and definitely would come back. read more

The good: I've been here twice now for takeout. I tried the buta ramen and tonkatsu ramen. There currently are no ramen shops in this south San Jose area so this place is a great addition (especially with its location across the street from Kaiser). The waitress here was prompt and friendly. The bad: There's no outdoor dining and the interior is very small so it isn't good for large groups. The tonkatsu ramen was on the salty side. I would've liked for more vegetables. The photos online made it look more vibrant and colorful than the actual product. The interesting: I ordered online and asked for 6PM pickup but the order was prepared immediately instead and ready before 5:40PM. I would've preferred if the order was ready at the time requested so that it wouldn't get cold. read more

Ramen Champ is a great spot for some classic Japanese comfort foods in San Jose! PARKING/ARRIVAL Ramen Champ is located in a large complex with a large lot, so the parking is plentiful and free. The restaurant is across from the Rite Aid and there's a board with specials outside. On a Sunday afternoon near 13:00 our party of 2 was shown a seat promptly. COVID PRECAUTIONS (March 2022) / ORDERING I was impressed that our server checked that our indoor table was OK with us (otherwise we could sit in one of the partitioned booth/seated tables) before showing us to our table. Each table has its own unique QR code where you can order directly for your table from your phone, super convenient! We were provided traditional menus too in case we preferred that. We noted you could customize extensively via the ordering system, adding optional extras like spicy sauce or just adding egg or additional noodles or removing toppings too. FOOD: We ordered the MISO RAMEN and the BUTA MOYASHI RAMEN. Both come with a pork based broth, chashu pork, pork back-fat, cabbage, bean sprouts (piled on more on the BUTA MOYASHI which is to be expected from its name!). The BUTA MOYASHI RAMEN also came with garlic and egg, and the MISO RAMEN had mushroom, green onion, corn, nori, and fried burdock chips. Broth was a little sweet (particularly with the MISO RAMEN: miso used is light and subtle and sweet). The egg was not gooey yolk but soft solid yolk. The highlights are the portion sizes, the rich fatty broth, and also the ramen noodles, which are thick and springy and toothsome. Yum! All in all a very tasty meal! A satisfying lunch. read more

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Finally! If you love Jiro-style ramen, this is the place to go! I am glad there is a "smaller" size for the Buta Ramen because the Buta Max is too much for me (even though that's the typical size of jiro-style in Japan). Obviously, jiro style is more on the plentiful, quantity side of things, and not on the delicate, quality side in the ramen world, so I wouldn't expect to be wowed by flavors and ranking them in taste. You go here because you want a ton of thick noodles, a ton of thick slabs of pork meat, a ton of beansprouts and a ton of garlic and pepper. With that said, I appreciate the garlicky, peppery, porky, fatty soy sauce soup they use as it is not on the souper salty side but the highlight for me is the noodles here. It's got that chewy factor that picks up all the soup, garlic, pepper and other things real nice, so each slurp is just packed in flavor. Some of the pieces of pork were tender, while others felt a bit dry. The egg is also a bit on the well-done side but isn't bad either. Overall, this is the only place that serves Jiro-style ramen, so I can say I recommend it if you want to try this monstrosity! My friend said the Yuzu ramen is pretty good, but nothing too special, compared to the one we had at Onoya Ramen near Waikiki. But it's great because I haven't found another ramen place that does Yuzu either. Props to Ramen Champ for bringing unique ramen dishes. The potat croquette is also nicely fried and crispy on the outside. I enjoy a nice croquette. read more

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Went with two friends after work on a Wednesday, we got there around 530ish? We were lucky to get a table right away and then it started to fill up quickly! We got: Cucumber salad - refreshing and delicious with the sauce! Takoyaki - this was SO good. Perfectly crispy on the outside and not too mushy on the inside. Teriyaki karaage - this was also delicious. It was perfectly cooked, not too crunchy bc more chicken than batter, which was totally fine with us. We also got the pork tantanmen and a miso ramen. I love that you can add additional toppings; I got the umami fat and garlic sides. It was freaking delicious and perfect for a cold night. A plus? I togo'd the rest home and the noodles were still pretty tasty the next day (obviously a little less chewy but that's to be expected and I got to have more of that amazing broth. Definitely check this place out! read more

Ramen Champ - Pork tantanmen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is one heck of a hidden gem; the exterior doesn't say much, but inside it's a legit ramen shop. Although it is one of many menu items, it's rare to find a Jiro-style ramen dish tucked away on a menu, so I'm ecstatic to have finally found one. Their other ramen options are solid as well, and the extensive amounts of melty kakuni (pork belly) makes this place a keeper in my book. Parking is no trouble at all even on a Sunday at prime time (large parking lot for a plaza), though there was a slight wait for seats after we left. Service was swift and efficient, and ordering was done through a QR code weblink (including payment). The whole restaurant didn't have too much seating (about 20 people I'd guess), but each table was sectioned off into mini-booths for privacy so the space was remarkably efficient. My brother got the Tonkotsu ramen while I got the heaping Jiro-style Buta Max Ramen (apparently limited to 15 orders per session?). Both of these have a nice shoyu base to them, but the tonkotsu broth is a whole lot creamier and a stronger flavor to it. That said the buta-max being a lighter broth works for the buta max because you have a *whole* lot of other things, like the gigantic mound of garlic, bean sprouts, pork fat, 5 whole pieces of kakuni, and an egg. Noodles were thick and firm by default, though less chewy than some other joints (I didn't mind it at all though). There was a bit too much chopped garlic (and I love my garlic), so I'd advise toning it down personally to taste; it is sitting right on top after all. The hot sauce is a nice addition to cut through the grease. The egg was perfectly cooked, albeit minimal marinade. But the Kakuni? Oh the kakuni was so tender and it just melted right into my mouth. This place sits out in the middle of a mostly empty plaza, but there is great ramen right here and not nearly as crazy of a line as Ramen Nagi. :P read more

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Great experience tonight! Cute smaller restaurant with great service. We came this evening and our party of 3 was seated right away (around 5:45pm). They have partitions in between tables and are pretty limited capacity. We tried the kaarage chicken first. Really well seasoned and crispy. Came with 6 pieces and a side of mayo with some greens. Then we all had the tonkatsu ramen per the recommendation of our waiter. The broth had really good flavor and wasn't too heavy or too salty. Came with a very generous serving of noodles, and seaweed, green onions, bean sprouts, pork, and mushrooms. We asked for some chili and garlic which really brought the flavor out in the broth. Overall good food and great attentive service. Look forward to coming back here again and trying other things. read more

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Whoo! Finally! I've hit 100 reviews, and I've decided to bring up the scouting report of the place that is now taking up Shiki's location Ramen Champ. After doing research, this is a Jiro/Jirou style ramen stop, meaning big slices or cubes here of chashu and a good amount of veggies. To be more precise, you get a healthy amount of bean sprouts and cabbage. The noodles are thick with an al dente feel if I should type that, and with all of that typed up, this is definitely a guilt meal. Is the place good? Sure. Is the place on the same level as Yuzu and the legendary places in the Bay Area? No, not yet. Hmmm? Oh, right. "Yes girls, the guys are cute, and guys, I didn't see the girls, but I'm sure they're cute also." What did the place get right? The place kept a good amount of Shiki's charm, though I'm sure the Satou family took that cute garbage bin back to Fukuoka. Like I typed up already, I did get a good amount of the veggies. The meat is that good, and one of my brothers agrees with me. Oh, the place has an item that Shiki never had: desserts! Only two, but the taiyaki and litchi sorbet are good! On a side note, the lack of a $10 spending requirement for cards is a good trait to have! If I had to make a logical guess on why Champ has too many non-ramen plates, the staff is trying to capture the same spirit of Shiki's. Does it? Kind of? What does the place need to improve on? If you want a personal flaw, I wish the croquet was kept. I believe the gobou chips went missing, but I suppose it's nerves. The flaw that bothers me the most is the lack of a guilt free drink for kids outside of water. Sure, there's a yuzu soda, but at the end of the day, it's still a soda, and having matcha but not mugicha is eerie. Ramen Champ is a good replacement for Shiki. While it has a way to go to be as beloved as multiple places, it has a start. If it can fix any of the three flaws (bring back the Martinelli cider from The Four Seasons), I'd be more gung ho on visiting. Alas, it's a place I'll just keep in my back pocket if I run out of ideas of where to eat at whenever I'm at the south side. +: Champ's a radical and cool spot because of the good service, good food and good overall vibes. -: Structure flaws (the drinks), but they're fixable. read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkotsu ramen with seaweed salad, matcha and yuzu soda. - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

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I just moved to the area and really excited to see a good ramen place that was only less than 2 miles away from my house. I know you can get good ramen mostly every where in the Bay, but this place is literally right near my house which I could save tons of gas whenever a crave for ramen hits. Long story short, this place deserves 5 stars! Firstly, no wait in line, we were seated right away. Staff were super friendly. We tried their tonkotsu ramen and miso ramen, broth were different but both were super tasty. I'm sure their broth was made from long cooking hours to extract the sweetness from meat and bones. Their chashu was different from most ramen place. It was thick cut stewed pork but really tender and melt out in your mouth. Overall the experience was much higher than our expectation. Ramen Champ is a one of the best Asian restaurants in South San Jose, a gem and must be protected at all cost!! read more

I'm not gonna lie, this tasted really good...my only complaint is the amount of meat. Couple bites and it's gone. For $18 I expected more read more

Ramen Champ - Tonkatsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm the pickiest Ramen Broth guy. But man even with trying Michelin rated ramen shops, this place has good ramen. The karage is tasty and the Agadashi tofu is tasty. The rice bowl are solid. As authentic as you're gonna get. I can tell how much effort and time that goes into the food prep here. I love how you order from the app and the food comes out quick too! The servers are fast and efficient. My new go to Ramen/Karage joint read more