It has been a while since I have been here, but I am glad I made it back. They have updated their menus to include a "Special Menu" which has more options available. Sorry, I forgot to take pics of the menus but other people have posted them. There were 5 of us and the only options available to us was the bar area which was totally fine. If you have not been here before, it is a small local ramen spot so hard to come here if you are in a big group. Service: 4/5 The lady working the bar area was friendly but hard to understand some times. She always checked and refilled my water because I drink a lot of water. Have to stay hydrated Ambiance: 3.5/5 Not much to look at around the restaurant except 2 big boards that have a list of the special items you could add to your ramen. Maybe they could implement some type of music playing in the background. Food: 5/5 I ordered the Garlic Pork Spider Crab with extra roasted pork. The broth was delicious. I always loved their broth. This time I actually drank all the broth and I normally do not do that at all. Guess I was thirsty for their broth. Noodles were cooked perfectly. Just a little under Al dente. Had some spinach in it as well as a whole piece of garlic. The roasted pork was tender and yummy. I will definitely come back sooner than later. read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork Flavor with Spider Crab, 3 pieces of roasted pork (extra $2.50) with Mild Spicy - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This used to be one of the OG local good ramen joints in the area before larger franchised brands came in (~10ish years ago)! So it's been a hot moment since I've been back here. Despite not having been here in a long time, I'm glad that there were still quite a few patrons eating during Monday lunch. Definitely not as busy as it once was with long waits, but still patrons nonetheless! No wait at 12:30 PM. Broth is still savory and flavorful. I got the garlic pork option, which I guess for house is primarily that per our waitress's explanation. Premium has a bit of shoyu to the broth flavoring. Solid. Toppings, also solid. What's not solid is 1) the noodles aren't as thick and chewy with bounce that I like them to be and 2) while I was somewhat satisfied, this was certainly a "small" bowl for the amount of food to price. I could've probably had a whole 'mother bowl, but would recommend adding more noodles for next time. It's also a bit interesting to me that the price comparison to add a flavored egg relative to what else that you can get (e.g., pork, soft shell egg) isn't that far off which makes the flavored egg feel a bit on the pricier end. read more

Ramen Dojo - Soft shell crab special ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ramen was the best I ever had. I stopped coming here because I was heavily disappointed. It turns out they changed owners again since I last came here 6 years ago. It's a mother and daughter running the restaurant with a full staff. Tonight the daughter was the waitress/manager of the restaurant. The place hasn't really changed much since I came except for the menu. It was a full house. My mom and I got the last two seats. I ordered a number 5 special garlic pork and mom ordered a number 1 soy special. Also got the karaage. It was the best ramen I ever had! My mom and I cleaned our bowls. Waitress (also possibly the co-owner?) was very nice. We gave her a great tip. We will be back!! read more

Food was great! The food came fast, ramen, edamame and gyoza. Casual space, great value! read more

Cozy, nice small restaurant which can accommodate up to 36 people. You can easily find parking around the blocks. I went at noon on Monday and the place was 75% full. I was seated quickly at the bar area and my order was taken within 5 minutes. My ramen was served within the next 10 minutes. I got #5 on their new menu, the soft-shelled crab with garlic pork tonkotsu soup. It's very flavorful and savory. The soft-shelled crab is to die for and the noodles have that right balance of softness and tenderness. Overall, very pleasant experience. read more

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A nice little spot close to Espetus and cal train for ramen . There are six type of ramen with different soup base and toppings . I recommend soft shell and pork belly with pork miso soup base . Egg was hard boiled instead of poached . All in all affordable and decent place for quick ramen . Service was great . Ambiance was home dining . read more

Ramen Dojo - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

We arrived around 5:15pm welcomed in a calm, lightly lit restaurant where we were seated very quickly. The music was light and fitting for the environment. I ordered the garlic flavored tonkatsu ramen with the flavored egg (typical ramen egg) as it came with the quail egg. The broth was light with the perfect amount of flavor and the roasted garlic added a nice touch. The pork belly was light and made the ramen perfectly filling. The server checked on us about 4 times refilling water and making sure we were good to go. She had such welcoming and lovely energy. I would definitely come back again and it made my fix! read more

Ramen Dojo - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Met up with a friend and she was craving ramen, so we decided to check out Ramen Dojo. The waitress was very friendly. We both decided on the garlic pork ramen - mine was mild spicy and she got medium spicy. We also both ordered the flavor egg - perfectly jammy center. The broth was flavorful and I probably could've gone a bit spicier. Good amount of noodles and toppings. It was a good bowl of noodles. read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork (house) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

With so many good ramen joints in San Mateo, it's hard to decide which one to eat at. A colleague recommended this place, and I'm glad I checked it out. The soft shell crab ramen is rich, savory, and delicious! I like the simple menu. I don't like circling around looking for parking, but that comes with the territory of eating in downtown. I was lucky and came in before the rush. It's a tiny place, so a wait is to be expected. read more

Ramen Dojo - Soft Shell Crab with Garlic Pork Miso broth - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

My ramen was decent but was overly salty for me. Noodle was not overcooked and had decent amount of ingredients. Price was somewhat steep and service was almost overbearing but that could have been because I was sick and needed the warmth and substance of soup without anyone pushing me to have desert. Going right at opening meant there was no wait and there was ample street parking. You should give it a try if you want but if not, you are not missing out on anything special. read more

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I remember when ramen specialty shops were starting to pop up around the Bay Area and Ramen Dojo was the king that ruled them all. Granted, it has been years since I've decided to stop by, but ramen is delicious and my fiancé has to try them out. We arrived on a weekday afternoon and was immediately seated. Their menu is straightforward making it easy to come to a decision. We both opted for their garlic pork ramen (mine with mild spicy, his with medium spicy). The food came out quick and we were ready to dig in. While I will always have a fond memory of coming to Ramen Dojo for the first time years ago, the taste today is not one of my preference. The food isn't terrible, but I found the flavor to be lacking in some ways. Despite his broth being spicier than mine and having a kick to it, my fiancé agreed that he'd rather go to Ramen Parlor. read more

Best ramen ever. Lots of flavor and great pork. My go to favorite restaurant. I go with my kids. They all love it

The dishes were quite salty--if you enjoy bold sodium flavors, this could be the right place. Personally, I couldn't finish mine even after adding extra hot water. I also felt a bit concerned about kitchen hygiene, as guests pass through a very small kitchen to reach the restroom. On the way, I noticed packaged noodles that appeared premade, which might explain the taste and texture. I'm a bit surprised by the high rating, as I think there's still plenty of room for improvement. I appreciate small businesses and hope they can enhance the quality, as I really miss having a place like Ramen Nagi in Palo Alto. read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork Flavor - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place has been on our list for a while so we took the opportunity to try it out since we were in the area and it did not disappoint! It's pretty small inside with just 6ish tables and some counter seating but it definitely makes the perfect comfort meal for a rainy day... + I got the vegetarian creamy corn ramen and loved it! Exactly the creaminess I was looking for. Big fan of the broth and the noodles, perfect amount of chewiness + my partner also loved the garlic pork ramen + there was a 5-10 min wait when we came but since we were just 2 people we got seated pretty quickly + food came out fast + they only seemed to have one server managing all the tables but service was still great - the toppings were a bit of a miss for me, the flavored egg could've been more marinated but had good texture/jaminess, skip the karaage, wasn't crispy or anything too special solid spot overall! Glad we finally got to try it and it hit the spot for sure. Great ramen spot for vegetarians as well!! read more

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Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon ~12:30 PM. There was no wait and maybe about 2-3 other tables seated at the time. The restaurant is very small and cozy with a capacity of about 25 people. Menu was very simple to read as they do not have a wide selection of items. This could be good since they specialize in ramen, but if you enjoy ordering food + apps then it is very limited. I ordered the Soft Shell Crab with Garlic Pork Miso broth and my boyfriend ordered the Stewed Pork Belly with Garlic Pork (House) broth. You have an option of 3 spice levels, as well. Both broths were so delicious! I could not decide which one I enjoyed more. I ordered the medium spicy, so it had a delicious tangy and spicy kick (very minimal) but the house broth was home-y and umami. I love my garlic and I was happy to find that I had a whole clove marinating in my yummy broth. The noodles were also firm and chewy. Great spot if you want to make a quick trip to satisfy your ramen craving. We were in and out of the restaurant in about 30-40 minutes. read more

Ramen Dojo - Special Menu: Soft Shell Crab with Garlic Pork Miso - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Solid ramen joint!! Came for lunch on a Friday at 12:30 and we were seated immediately. There might be a bit of a wait if you come when it's crowded since the restaurant is fairly small. The menu is pretty simple and straightforward. There are also a bunch of options for add-ons. I ordered the garlic pork ramen with medium spice, which was super yummy and filling! The broth was thick and creamy, and it was blasted with flavor. The spice level was also perfect. It also came with a couple pieces of garlic that were absolutely delicious. Noodles were cooked perfectly, with a good bite to them. Service is also super fast here! After we had time to look at the menu, our orders were taken and food came out shortly afterwards. Parking can be a little bit challenging, but don't let it deter you from coming here! There's definitely more parking if you're willing to walk, with plenty of spots available behind the restaurant near the train tracks. read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Even after all the years of struggles and COVID, Ramen Dojo stands strong as one of the top places for ramen in the bay area. The menu isn't extensive and hasn't changed much, but you can always rely on getting the garlic pork ramen as a solid choice. They had a seasonable special that was the "premium pork" ramen, but I'd say it's comparable and just as good as the garlic ramen. You can hardly go wrong and they do such a good job with what they have. If you're looking for a ramen place with more flavor selections, then Ramen Parlor (owned by the same people) is nearby and has a wider selection. However, I still think Ramen Dojo has more flavor and thus remains as my top choice. read more

Out of all of the Japanese food in the Downtown San Mateo area, Ramen Dojo has always been a repeating favorite among many. And from wanting to give them a try over the past few years, I finally was able to drop by at 6:30PM on a Thursday night. Walking into the restaurant, the small size was the first thing that stood out. With only 6-7 tables and one server working the front of house, this was definitely not what I was expecting. But fortunately, there was no line when I got there. Definitely try to arrive early to get a spot; I'd imagine there would be a long wait on the weekends. Looking at the menu for the first time, it appeared to be quite simple with four main broth options and four spice levels. But should you be looking for something special, a separate menu offers the same regular ramen with a few extra ingredients. As of the time of this review, a regular ramen starts at $17 and a special begins at $19; a price hike I noticed comparing to the previous menu photos seen here on Yelp. For this particular visit, I got to try Ramen Dojo's Soft Shell Crab Ramen with Garlic Pork Broth at a mild spice level. And after receiving the dish about 10-15 minutes after ordering, I was initially happy with the bowl. All ingredients were vibrant and looked very fresh. In terms of quantity though, you might leave a tad hungry should your appetite be larger than average. In this bowl, the soft-shell crab, two pieces of pork, and ground chicken made up 30%; nori, spinach, and cloves of garlic made up another 30%, and the noodles took up the remaining 40%. Although a bowl of ramen can have a higher-than-average price range compared to other food in the area, the price to portion at 17 dollars can be steep when considering from the quantity standpoint alone. For the bowl with the soft shell crab, the 19 dollar price tag was more justifiable in my eyes. From the entire experience, the taste of the ramen was definitely the highlight. For one, choosing the mild garlic pork broth gave a perfect level of kick and a not-too-intense garlic flavor. The noodles at the bottom of the bowl were great as well as they were easy to eat and brought a springy, firm texture. Next, the vegetables given tasted like you'd expect: fresh, light, and not soggy. As for the single quail egg given in the bowl, the yolk was a tad chalky while the whites were smooth which was appreciated since the majority of the ingredients tasted creamy and subtly layered. The roast pork in the bowl had both savory and sweet highlights. But what stood out the most was the ratio of fat to meat as it gave some grease without dominating the bowl. As for last, the soft shell crab was pretty decent. While the body of the crab had the bulk of the meat and tasted more neutral, the legs were more hollow and had a more sharp and sweet taste to them. For next time, I would definitely choose another special. But in all, the soft shell crab ramen was not too bad! Ramen Dojo exceeded my expectations from the anticipation to try them out. The setting feels intimate, the taste of the food was delicious, and the server was very kind! But because the portion size was a tad short and the prices were a tad high, I'd argue Ramen Dojo earns a four at best. If looking for quality, this is definitely the place for you. But if looking for a casual meal that won't break the bank, it might make more sense to seek out alternatives. In all though, great job guys! read more

Ramen Dojo - Soft Shell Crab Ramen with Garlic Pork Flavor and Mild Spicy - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ramen is really worth the hype. Thick chunk of pork belly accompanied with tender yet chewy noodles. Garlic-pork broth is quite amazing. Methinks better than Orenchi read more

After our family friend hyped it up so much, we went to try it out. However, this ramen place was not it for me nor was it for my partner, though we are big ramen connoisseurs. I personally did not like the toppings and the spiciness of it. PARKING: Somewhat hard to find. It's located on a busy stretch of street so it took me about five minutes and a couple of loops to find a suitable spot. Be sure to park on the street and not the lot as some lots do tow in the area. LOCATION: It's in a pretty small building so the tables are crammed a little close to and another. However, it was not hard to find! SERVICE: Overall, pretty decent. We got our order in after waiting 10 minutes or so. The line is a bit long at times so do be weary. FOOD: The ramen was pretty spicy and kinda burned while eating it. I think it was the jalapeños and the garlic for me. The noodles were pretty good though, but I wouldn't come back due to the broth, garlic, and jalapeños. Price: The price is pretty fair for ramen! Conclusion: Cute place but probably wouldn't come back. read more

Ramen Dojo - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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1/23/22 My boyfriend and I were looking for a place to grab dinner. We originally wanted to get Mexican food, but the place we saw looked shady so we walked a block over and saw Ramen Dojo. The restaurant is very small. Luckily, it was only the two of us so we squeezed into a table in front of this group of 5. The menu can conveniently be found via QR code. The menu itself is quite limited. Here's what we got: 1. Garlic pork ramen with extra pork belly (mine) 2. Miso ramen (his) After a brief chat with the waitress, the food came out in less than 10 minutes. One downside to our experience was that the water we had, the cup tasted soapy and you could see the bubbles along the rim.. The ramen though was pretty good, but not mind-blowing. The bowls were a decent size with a good amount of noodles and meat; the broth was somewhat on the more saltier side but tolerable with mouthfuls of soapy water... 50/50 chance of coming back here. read more

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Best ramen, I've ever had in my life, no ramen compares to this place and it's my place to go to, I've taken my whole family to this place just because I want to share with them how good the ramen is, now me and my sister are regulars to this place, it's flavor is unique and can't compare it to any other ramen around, not even ramen places in Japan town beat this place. It's a small place and it gets packed by noon with hungry office workers looking for food so be prepared to wait. Place is small and there is one server, seen her a couple of times, she is direct and gives quick service, her attitude is straight forward and very nice, if you say otherwise it's because you don't know how a hard a serving job can be when you are only one in a place. Recommend this place to everyone I know. Deserves 5 stars. read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork Flavor with stewed pork( pork belly) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Coming home from sf and decided to stop here for dinner! Super small restraunt which gives it this very cute small vibe that I loved! The service was good considering there are so little amount of tables. I ended up getting there late in the evening and so they were sold out of their main dishes but their ramen is so delicious! The broth taste very fresh and like I want to have an entire another bowl. Delicious and highly recommend!!! read more

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San Mateo has gotta be the Bay Area capitol of Japanese food, and this place has been on that ramen Mt. Rushmore for quite a while, and after seven years working in San Mateo, I've finally tried it. Now I don't know if it's true but I heard that Dojo, Santa, and Parlor are all owned by the same family, and if that's really the case--cool because each one has various similarities along with a glaring weakness. What's Dojo's? We'll get to that in a minute. Parking can be a little difficult but if you're lucky you can find a spot behind the building on Railroad Avenue. My girlfriend and I came in around 30 minute before the afternoon closing and were seated at the bar. I had the premium pork while she had the miso ramen. Dojo seems to be all about the spice, so I ordered mine in medium spicy and as soon as I took a sip... it hit me in the throat, so the spice level was legit. The broth was also really creamy but I didn't really get an in-your-face pork flavor. But subtle is fine. The problem? I think the quality of the pork left a lot to be desired. I think the stewed garlic pork at Santa Ramen tops what they have here, but hey--it's like paper scissors rock with that. The egg in here was amazing. Wash your ramen down with a Sapporo and you'll be a happy guest. So yeah, I'd be back at Dojo if it was an option but I have to admit Parlor is my favorite in San Mateo and it's right across the street. read more

You won't have issues finding parking with a little walk (next to the train tracks). Mild Garlic ramen: 4/5. It's ramen, can't really go wrong but nothing really fascinated me here. The quail eggs tasted just like what you would get at the frozen section at a supermarket and reheated. Noodles were on the stiff side. Broth was amazing, not too heavy or fatty. I got 3 pieces of pork at about 3 inches each, mainly fat. Customer service was great. The short hair lady behind the counter really watches you eat. Definitely come during a downtime as there is very little seating. read more

Ramen Dojo - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I came on a Friday evening at around 6pm. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table for two. The restaurant only has a few tables so it wasn't unreasonable to have to wait. The broth is so tasty and the chasu pork was so flavorful but a little more fatty than what I am used to. The noodles had a great chew to them. It comes with seaweed, a quail egg and ear-wood mushrooms. There were several parties waiting for a table after we left. I like some spice in my food, the medium spice level definitely had a kick to it but it was not an unbearable amount of spice. The service was great and efficient. If you are in the San Mateo area and are craving some delicious ramen, check this place out! read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork ramen base with medium spice - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Very excited that I could just walk in on a Saturday night at 6pm. I haven't been in many years because the lines to get in got too long for me to wait. There was a line outside at 7pm when we left so maybe we were just lucky. Had the Garlic Pork Sesame Ramen (Garlic Banbanji) extra spicy with extra noodles. I like spicy and the level was on the upper end of what I could handle. I might choose medium spicy next time. It was as good as I remembered from years ago. The broth was perfectly flavored. Our table also ordered the vegetarian ramen which was good as well. Service was very pleasant and fast. It's a quick meal if you are lucky enough not to wait in line to get in. read more

Ramen Dojo - Menu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Nickel and Dime Nestled into the quieter part of San Mateo, Ramen Dojo is a small quint place to dine (around 10-20 seats), offering multiple flavors of broth in their menu. Though busy at the time I dined, around 7:30 p.m. the service was kind and welcoming. After ordering with my party of 5, our ramens arrived twelve minutes later; here, the broth really steals the show with its striking umami. However, you may have noticed the title of this review. In the restaurant on the menu (and wall) are extra toppings. Two main complaints are, one, the value, and two, the topping cost. In terms of value, may orders come with little to no protein. I received paper thin and almost all fat chashu. One tiny quail egg in sight. Let's move on to where the nickel and dining begins; the toppings. One egg costs nearly four dollars and 5 minuscule shrimp dumplings are even more (if I remember correctly). Even after a full bowl of ramen, I left hungry. For that reason, it's a no. Verdict: Every business has things to improve upon, and I was impressed with the service of this place. However, toppings are too pricey. Portions are small in terms of protein. read more

Came here for Monday lunch. No wait. Street parking available. I ordered the Garlic Pork Flavor soup pork belly ramen. Soup was a bit salty for me. Pork belly was a bit tough, did not melt in the mouth. The egg was super marinated. Ramen around 18$ read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork Flavor soup pork belly ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

It was a really chilly night and we were craving something that would warm us up so we decided on ramen! We were debating between Ramen Parlor and Ramen Dojo and ended up picking the latter since our friends had tried Ramen Parlor already. Looking at some older reviews, it seemed like there used to be specials like soft-shell crabs and lobster in the ramen, but when we arrived we were offered a less extensive menu, probably because of Covid. Once we got there, we were served water which tasted pretty soapy. It was noticeable enough that all 4 of us thought it was unusual. For the food, we ordered the garlic tonkotsu, tonkotsu, and miso ramen. Overall, the ramen was decent but didn't stand out - the chashu was just ok and the soft boiled egg was cold. I'd also caution that the spice levels here are no joke! read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork Tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Thoroughly enjoyed my Saturday lunch here! Got seated right away, orders taken, food came out fast, ramen and extra noodles were a pretty good price. My garlic pork ramen was delicious and the broth hit all the right notes. Our server was very nice, prompt and took care of us--thank you! For like 13 dollars a ramen bowl, it aint bad at all. Will definitely come back here :) Food: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Vibes: 6/10 Value: 7/10 read more

Ramen Dojo - garlic! - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Ramen Dojo used to be one of my favorites. It's been a long while since I visited and changes were notable. The lunch crowd and long line is gone. The reason maybe the substitutes in the menu? Noticeably missing is the soft boiled egg substituted by canned quail egg, and crunchy seaweed toppings are gone. I ordered shrimp wontons as a topping and they were obviously frozen and not fresh. The bowl of ramen is subpar. read more

Where's the crowd?! I mean literally!! Wanted to try another ramen place in the Bay Area as there are so many now and I was having another ramen cravings!!! I saw this place had almost 4K good reviews but didn't see it was mainly from old reviews years ago. This place was small and on the corner so it was easy to find. We thought there would be a crowd awaiting us but was surprised to see none or thought, oh it's a weekday..... We came here close to 5:30p- 6p and only one couple was inside but by the time we left, the place was almost full; mind you this place was small. What I was disappointed with was more the ramen in the soup. Broth was good and spicy at medium heat. OMG I was chewing and you can tell they were al dente' or was it overcooked for hours but I was hard chewing the ramen. Definitely not homemade ramen noodles. My daughter got the mild spicy miso pork ramen but her broth was salty. My husband and I got their garlic pork ramen. I got mine medium and his was mild spicy. He said his heat was perfect. Broth was ok. We both added extra pork and they were good but there was not much in the ramen unless I added extra. It did have a lot more soup. No veggies except garlic and slice of jalapeño but would have expected even green onions and/or spinach? Not asking a lot. During Covid, they did follow procedures with wearing a mask but no hand sanitizers stands. They had good customer service but I don't know if I will come all the way back here for ramen. Prices are decent for this area. Rating more 2.5 stars than 3. Sorry. There are other ramen places better even if expensive, it would have been worth it. If they fix what's wrong, I would come back. [48th/100] read more

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Good things don't last forever so please take the time to appreciate the good things in life. 2008 is when I first came and trained in Ramen Dojo. I strongly believe Ramen Dojo was number 1. The line was out the door , 30plus min waits and one wondered should I come for lunch , should I come for dinner to avoid the waits. I found out there was always a wait haha. Same owners as Ramen Parlor and Santa Ramen yeh we all heard the same things growing up ! Dude liked Santa , she liked Parlor, I preferred Dojo How they successfully served that many people in that one store? One bowl at a time With that Japanese guy and their team they served me a bowl I'll never forget! What I never forgot and what made me eccentric was the toppings and the broth of this Ramen Dojo. Skip forward to 2021 and it's 1200 lunchtime. To my surprise there was no line! Where did everyone go? No line wait Ok. When we arrived we took a seat and placed order. The chalk board special boards was blank which I found interesting. No fried chicken wings / no karrage listed. The menu went QR but they still have physical menus as well just ask. I ordered the garlic pork ramen extra spicy To my surprise it's not the same not even the black garlic Soup broth not as rich/hearty more watered down and The standard toppings was missing green onions , corn, and that fried red strings thing they put on top . I feel like I got 1/4 of the deal and quarter of the taste at the full price . Ouch! It's pretty obvious it ain't the same The kitchen staff today lacks the training and execution of what I seen and tasted back in 2008! This place downsized and cut a lot of corners since my first time here and it's evident. Still a solid ramen spot. It's hot ramen but it ain't boiling like before ! read more

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This ramen place has been around for a long time! Some people say that they changed owners and the quality is not as good anymore but I enjoyed the ramen I had here! Broth was super flavor-able and delicious! Be careful as it comes to you piping hot! The only criticism that I would have is that some of the pictures had some greens on their ramen but ours came naked on top with no greens Parking may be a bit hard since it's in downtown San Mateo, also the restaurant is super tiny so there will be a wait time during busy times / days read more

Ramen Dojo - Pork Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Cute little ramen spot that feels very authentic and local. The ramen portion is big and the broth is packed with intense delicious flavor. There are many ramen spots in San Mateo and I'd put Ramen Dojo in my top 3! read more

Ramen Dojo - Garlic Pork House Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went for Dinner Food - 3/5. Pot stickers were very dull and had a starchy skin. It was colder than I would have liked and made even colder by being served in the sauce. The soft shell crab had a crisp coating and tender meat. Its fried texture was a welcome addition to the ramen. Ramen broth was rich with plenty of garlic flavor. Sadly, it also suffered from being on the colder side. Pork was tender and the noodles had a decent bite to them. I expected a bit more from the noodles and broth given the hype and was disappointed to find that it was pretty standard. Service - 4/5. Friendly and quick service. Value - 2/5. The pot stickers were way overpriced for what tasted like prepackaged dumplings. Three undercooked frozen dumplings for $4.50 left a bitter taste in my wallet. The ramen was alright being priced at $16, which is average for the area. The premium toppings were $2.50 each, which was fair for the soft-shell crab. It wasn't bad but was over-hyped. Parking - Street (Free) read more

Ramen Dojo - Boiled Pork Pot Stickers - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ramen Dojo is a super popular, cozy restaurant offering a small selection of pork broth ramen noodle soups. My pick was the Banbanji Pork Sesame Ramen, which came with noodles in a pork broth seasoned with sesame and topped with shredded chicken, a quail egg, boiled spinach, fried garlic cloves, and roasted seaweed. The ramen had a rich, salty flavor from the pork broth and an unctuousness from the sesame, and the tender chicken was a nice light meaty addition. The style of ramen here was unique, and the broth, noodles, and toppings were all good though on the salty side. read more

Ramen Dojo - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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TLDR: Get the Banbanji (Sesame Ramen). A gem in San Mateo Saturday 4/8/23 ~12:30pm, $23.23 after tip Seated immediately (bar) - 12 min 30 sec order-to-bowl ~~~~~~~~~ Banbanji (Sesame Pork) Ramen ~~~~~~~~~ Final Score: 8.105/10 (8.1/10) Noodles: Some of the best egg noodles in the area. Wavy, thick, and very chewy. If you're a fan of thicker-style noodles, this is a great spot. The noodles had strong flavors and textures, and were substantial enough to stand up to the rich sesame broth. They even cut the noodles shorter than usual so they are easier eat. (8.4/10) Broth: Rich, thick, flavorful, with a powerful sesame punch. The broth is true to its sesame-namesake flavor while not being too oily. The broth is definitely on the heavier side, but packs such strong pork-sesame flavors. Little chunks of Banbanji chicken were distributed with every slurp. Very tasty. Very good. (8.5/10) Egg: Extra $2.50... Its pricey for an egg, something I would consider table-stakes for a bowl of ramen. The addition is worth it. The egg yolk was *almost* perfectly cooked. 95% of the yolk remained golden-yellow and jammy. The soy-marinade flavor was upper-tier - a little on the sweet side - but much better than your average ramen egg. Just get it. (8.1/10) Meat: Banbanji chicken looks (and kinda tastes like) shredded Costso rotisserie chicken. Very tender, shredded, breast-meat topped with the flavorful sesame-based sauce that give the bowl its unapologetic sesame flavor. The texture of the chicken was incredibly soft, more tender than a lot of pork-belly meats I've has on ramen. This would be great on a bowl of rice. Didn't miss the fattieness or texture of pork-belly at all. good. (7.1./0) Misc Toppings: No fillers. Spinach, nori, quail egg. All good choices - mixed well with the bowl. Nothing to complain about. A quail egg is always next-level. (7.8/10) Other: A gret bowl of ramen. The sesame-spin takes the standard pork-base to the next level. Each ramen component was executed well. *Weighted Scoring Formula: Noodles (25%), Broth (25%), Egg (15%), Meat (15%), Misc Top. (10%), Other (10%) Other: Bathrooms: Single gender-neutral bathroom accessible through the kitchen. Parking: San Mateo street parking. On the south side of "downtown". Not too bad. Service: Run by a single, very nice, server. Great work. read more

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A favorite of my son. It's a place for comfort food. We like chewy thick noodles, a bit al dente. The noodles are always consistent, never over cooked. Many kinds of ramen broth. It's all about the broth. I favor the garlic pork mild spicy broth. It's rich and sweet (garlic). Not much in the bowl. You have to add the toppings. $2.50 each. The base is noodles, soup, quail egg, and Cha Shu (slice of pork belly) $17. So if your hungry, your bill will reflect that. The service is kind, attentive, and quick. It's a hole in the wall with about five tables. Fits about 35-40 people. Singles can sit at the "bar". There's not much decorations. Don't need it. It's all about the ramen. Slurp! read more