It was pouring the day after Thanksgiving and we were craving some Ramen and found Kaito on the Yelp app. We got lucky and found parking right up front. It is a pretty basic restaurant and I like that they had a Japanese style section where you can sit on the ground after you remove your shoes. Now on to the food...the chicken curry was good and flavorful. The Tonkatsu ramen was OK. I was not a fan of the sake ngiri which still had a fair bit of shiny stuff (skin?) on it. Nice people but service was a mess. We were left unattended for long periods of time, took forever to get our check and then get the CC back afterwards. The waitress ignored my attempts to get her attention which was annoying. They need more help especially during peak time. read more

This is Ramen Kaito located in the Food Court in the Capitola Mall. This was a glorious surprise. If this is how great restaurants survive after a pandemic, I am all for it. The food that came out of this shop was stunning. I'm sorry I don't have pictures. I ordered a small ramen...yes, I was able to get a half size serving so I could try more. The menu had so many wonderful choices. The ramen was prepared with a luscious pork bone broth with a nice hunk of pork and veggies that you added in. I also ordered the octopus and shrimp dumplings. These were delicately prepared with sauces and vegetables. This location is worth the trip. I will be back soon. Check it out. By read more

YES! Finally got to try this ramen shop ever since I heard about their opening this past Saturday! I came here for lunch with one of my friends around 12:30pm and there was a decent crowd. We got seated at the sushi bar & watched one of the owners roll up a bunch of rolls that they sell at their sushi market called Sprouts on 7th Avenue. I got to chat it up with him for a little bit on how they started and where they are originally from, and he was really approachable and kind. From what he told me (correct me if I'm wrong), I think he used to own another ramen restaurant in Burlingame, so he knows how ramen should be especially slightly up north. He checked up on my friend and I and asked us at the end of our meal how everything was and if we had any ideas on how to improve their food. I didn't really have any complaints or suggestions, everything was good! Anyways onto the food, they have both basic and special ramen. I'd say, go for the specials!! For $10.50, it's worth a try. Plus the portions are standard for what Japanese ramen should be. My friend got the Ja-Ja ramen (has a lot of meat in it) and I got the spicy kimchi garlic ramen (comes with a lot of corn). The broth and cha-shu pork in mines was DELICIOUS. My friend enjoyed his ramen as well and I tried a bit of the meat. Probably not something I would get, but he liked it. There are also little soy sauce and red pepper dispensers at each table, so help yourself! They also have japanese curry here! Maybe I'll try that next time. Definitely would come back again. It's really nice to know that these owners care about what their customers think. His wife Junko is super sweet, as we ran into her at Sprouts later on and got to know more about their business. read more

Ramen Kaito - Spicy garlic kimchi ramen.. mmm - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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My friend brought me here today for lunch.Its in the food court of the Capitola mall.I got the California roll and a diet coke and my friend got their Curry rice bowl and we shared the large size Miso soup.Food was fresh and tasty and the service was really good.I will return read more

Ramen Kaito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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I love their food. DO NOT order from their website or mobile ordering. I placed an order. It accepted my order and charged my credit card. It even gave me a specific time to pick up my food. I drove over only to find they were closed and working an off site event. I called and was told I would be refunded but they had no idea when. Not acceptable. They should not accept web orders when they are closed. read more

We didn't go looking for this restaurant. We went to Naka Sushi across the street and after reading the menu prices for their sushi we walked out! Saw Kaito and said "why not"! The place is cozy and only has a few tables. Service was very friendly. Hubby ordered Ramen and he really liked it and the bowl was filled with large slices of pork, veggies and noodles. He loved the milky and creamy broth. I ordered a spicy tuna roll and most likely would not order it again. It was way too big to eat and you know you can't just bite into a sushi roll without it falling apart. It should be small enough for a mouthful. Plus the crab was the imitation variety mixed with something I did not like. Only a very small amount of tuna. All in all, a great place to eat. read more

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I so wanted this this ramen joint to be great...not to be. Being raised Japanese I've had my share of ramen and this is kinda close. It's in the details, the texture and bite of the noodles, the broth, the temperature of that broth and the toppings. The ramen noodles seemed old or packaged, no chew to them. The broth was light didn't seem to have that deep pork bone taste. The soup it self wasn't hot enough, it should easily steam my glasses. And the toppings...no corn. There were some things done right, the soft boiled egg...perfect. A dollar extra though. We left after paying the $40 for lunch and I always have to ask myself was it worth it? Last words...drive north. read more

Ramen Kaito - Slurp! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Good but definitely not great. I've been to Kaito twice, both times trying ramen. Ramen was just good. Nothing special about it. I really wanted to find a go to place for ramen in town, still on the search. Service was good and friendly. Both times were during lunch so things were really calm at the restaurant. And I also think the restaurant needs some serious deep cleaning. Specially on those lower tables area. I never like when tables and floor are sticky. There is plenty of street parking and limited spots on the lot behind the restaurant. Keep in mind that during dinner things get busier. read more

Ramen Kaito - Tonkotsu Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

the best ramen!! great broth and fast service! The only ramen place I keep coming back too:)

Such a low rating because of how poor the service is. The server never checked to refill water and ran off before we were even done ordering. Also, it took her over 15 damn minutes to finally come close enough to get our check (who we had a buser get for us). Food is fine, but literally wasting time waiting to get our server to come and take our order and forever to get our check to leave took more time all together to eat. Not worth the time. Edit: realized that that last time I went they also took awhile on service. But the main edit is that they take your ramen to pack it for you if you have extra, and last time the server literally forgot and threw the other half of my ramen away. Fail. Not coming back to sit in and eat. If you really want ramen, call in and order it to go. read more

Great service, great meal. Fresh, delicious and beautiful. We have eaten at a lot of sushi places this is one to visit. Chief was very nice came to our table to see if we were happy. Nice personal touch. Recommend and will be returning in the future. read more

Ramen Kaito - Chief choice sashimi and sushi platter for two. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Ramen was tasty and filling. I had the half order with pork, kimchi and egg. Broth was so yummy on a rainy day. We had the fried chicken and seaweed salad too. Just enough food to be full for two. I can't wait to come back and try the spicy ramens next. read more

Went for Valentine's date dinner and was welcomed back after coming last year as well with smiles and "so glad to see you again"... ordered appetizers including Sushi and mixed tempura we both ordered a soup and everything tasted pretty good as I remembered although the appetizers and food came out simultaneously and that is a big pet peeve of both my girlfriend and I when dining in Santa Cruz. Close to the end of our meal my girlfriend gasps to find a 4 inch piece of twisted plastic in her sobe. We immediately tell the server and she apologized telling us that that never happens and that she would "comp this one". As we were close to finishing I ask for the check and to my dismay only the one soup was deducted from the bill. I said that that was unacceptable and the server said that she could ask the owner / sushi chef if she could comp the hole meal meal (standard practice world wide in my opinion for gross objects found in food). I told her that yes would like her to ask. The owner came over and said that he was sorry for the piece of plastic in the food but he was ONLY able to take off the one soup from the bill. I told him that I had lived in Los Angeles and New York and that no restaurant in the world would simply take off the one item, but instead would show gratitude, respect and apologies by comping the entire meal. That this was a standard practice when something foreign was found in the food. He insisted that he could not comp the entire meal, saying I'm very sorry over and over again, to which my girlfriend got angry and said you're not sorry it seems, otherwise you would show your regret for our ruined experienced by comping the meal. He would not be convinced, and asked us if we are ready to pay, at which point I got up and said that I had had enough and we left without paying. I left some money on the table for the server although in the rush I was unable to leave the full tip associated with the bill which I felt bad about, however as I explained to the owner it was completely ridiculous that he didn't come over immediately when discovering there was something in the food and offer a quiet complementary dinner to returning customers to save face and hopefully keep our business. Instead he insisted on low-balling us and going against restaurant etiquette in such a way that created a large scene that every other customer witnessed and probably losing out on hundreds of dollars from us in the future. Santa Cruz has a bad reputation for lackluster service and restaurant etiquette from the perspective of the guest. I could not let this owner get away with that type of service or lack of it. (Sorry no plastic pic but trust me not pretty) read more

Koji at Kaito provides excellent Ramen, Udon, Sushi and a really nicely rounded Japanese menu. The CharshuTonkatsu with a soft boiled egg is amazing! I get the thicker Udon noodles instead of the ramen. Really awesome on a rainy day. The sushi is always fresh and tasty. Definitely check out this little local gem! read more

I love Kaito. Just tried their new spot in the mall and it was excellent. Koji, the proprietor is a super nice dude and a great chef. Their sushi is excellent and so is their curry. (Also best ramen in town). I usually order the Karaage curry, which has Japanese style fried chicken in the curry. The food was prepared very fast today and was very tasty. A+ read more

Ramen Kaito - karaage curry - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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Service was ok. They people was nice and on top of refilling water. Simple menu selection. Order the char sui tonkatsu ramen. the broth was ok. the first instant when it touched your tongue it's very rich and meaty, but once it hits the back of your throat it looses it's flavor. Same thing with the Shio ramen broth too. The soft boil egg is refrigerated but it's nice and runny on the inside and flavor is decent. the hiya-yakko tofu was ok. my first couple of bite seems a bit sour and it wasn't as high quality tofu I was hoping. it's not smooth enough. after I was on the last three cubes of my tofu they then notify me they forgot my dipper sauce that was supposed to go along with it. =.=" The best part about the meal was the deluxe poke with different types of fish. I had a mix of tuna, salmon and hamachi. It was actually quite delicious and great portion size for 13$. That was the most enjoyable part of the meal. read more

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Genuine sushi, and beautifully plated. Salmon skin salad, excellent, and sushi always fresh. Salmon skin and yellowtail "collars" a delicacy, broiled to perfection, served with a light dipping sauce. The ramen is delicious, with lots of options, including a gluten free noodle (buckwheat) option, especially with a couple "add ones". Local family business and great staff. They also offer floor seating, on cushions, for a handful of lowered tables. read more

Ramen Kaito - Salmon skin salad, sprinkled with micro sprouts and edible flowers... lovely light ponzu type sauce. Delicious - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

I've been here now 3 times and this review is only for the ramen, because I love it and there's so few good places in Santa Cruz that have it. I found the ramen to be excellent and satisfying. Extra kudos for the availability of the "mini" ramen that is just the right size for me. The tonkatsu broth is hearty and flavorful. Last trip, I got the Ja Ja ramen, and the bowl was huge! The ramen was perfect, and the spicy minced pork was tasty. They don't offer that in the mini portion, but it's just a bonus to have two meals out of one. I haven't found the service to be lacking any of the times I've been. Today, I enjoyed my leftovers for lunch (photo is just the leftovers - which I still couldn't finish!!). I'll be back. read more

Ramen Kaito - My leftover Ja Ja Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

So yummy, my sons all time fave!!! Thank you so much for always be so kind and accommodating!! Value is awesome, quality is spot on and service is fabulous!! So glad you are still in business and pray you stay thriving for years to come!!! read more

For a ramen place in Santa Cruz, it was not bad at all. This definitely satisfied my ramen craving for the past week and I really didn't want to drive over the hill to San Jose just to get noodles. Their noodles were really great and it was pretty flavorful. However, the downside was that the temperature of the soup wasn't as hot as it should be and the arrangement of veggies and meat wasn't what I was used to since I constantly had to search for the vegetables that were covered by the meet. Service on the other hand was really great and our server was always there whenever we needed something. I would definitely come here again. They also have a cute area on the side where they let you take off your shoes and eat the way you would in a traditional Japanese restaurant. There prices are also not bad at all. They offer 3 different categories of ramen where each level gives you extra veggies and meat. read more

Ramen Kaito - kimchi garlic ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Authentic, highly recommend. Comfort ramen & comparable to southern Cali Japanese ramen. Tonkatsu Chashu A++ read more

Kaito was recommended by a friend so my bf and I had a chance to check it out the other day. When we walked in we weren't greeted, stood there for a bit,then a man looked over at us,said hello and sat us.they weren't busy at all when we showed up. I ordered one of the spicy garlic ramen with 5 slices pork, my bf ordered a rainbow roll and miso soup. The ramen was good, but not excellent or super delicious as I was expecting. The broth wasn't spicy and there was only 4 pieces of pork..not a huge deal, but still. It was a big Portion. My bf said his roll was jus ok.his soup took a long while to arrive (came after roll was almost finished ). Overall we would come back and try some other things they have on the menu. read more

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Nasty, expensive. Over processed slop. You would do far better to boil up top ramen noodles. This place is extremely expensive, low quality and disgusting. They are stingy with portions and rude with service. Go elsewhere. read more

Ramen Kaito - No soup broth in this disgusting, expensive Top Ramen. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Delicious ramen. I would have not expect to find a place like this in the mall. It brought me right back to Japan. Friendly team, great noodle texture, rich broth and a variety of options to choose from. read more

This restaurant is located along a strip at capitola and the closest parking lot is limited, but there are plenty of street parking. When my friend and I came to the restaurant around 8pm it was packed so we decided to go for the sushi bar. Considering how busy it was, it was understandable if our waiter couldn't get to us right away. But after quite some time we had to get their attention and ask for a menu ourselves. I've actually been here a few times before and have gotten their tonkatsu ramen. It's averagely priced at $12.50 and comes with all the basics. The last time I came here I remember their noodles were too hard for my liking. However this time around I tried my friend's ramen and it was cooked perfectly. The broth is more on the heavy/creamy side so if you like a light broth this isn't for you. I ordered a dragon roll because I wanted to try something new. And I feel like you can't really go wrong with some unagi and avocado. The roll was good but I don't think it's quite filling. All the waiters seem to be really friendly but lack attentiveness. For starters, they forgot to bring out my friend's miso soup which we had to ask for a second time. And after I received my sushi roll, there was no soy sauce or bowl in sight for me to use. I had to ask the sushi chef for it since I was at the sushi bar. It's not too much of a big deal but it would've been nice if they were more attentive. Overall, I give this place 3.5/5 stars. This is a good place to go for ramen/sushi. Definitely not suitable for large groups because it's a fairly small restaurant and can get busy during the evenings. read more

Not bad. Got the pork ramen, a roll, and a cup of tea. Service was fine and I would come back. It is nothing to write home about but I like it better than what used to be here ( Pink Godzilla). I appreciate the simplistic menu. read more

Ramen Kaito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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It's actually really good when you think mall food you think pretzels not authentic Japanese ramen that's a really good deal I highly recommend my friend had a life changing experience when he ate hear read more

Stopped by this sushi/ramen house after dropping off some stuff to my son in Santa Cruz. Unfortunately not a lot of seating available due to current situation, but customers waiting to pick up their food had great things to say about this place, so was excited to get our food. Very please with the food we received. If looking for a spicy ramen dish, try out the Spicy Garlic Ramen bowl, it was excellent. Sushi was a good size, and had great flavor. Will definitely visit this location again. read more

You are looking for the one good ramen place in Santa Cruz. You've found it! You will not be disappointed unless you hate flavor.

Good ramen is so rare in Santa Cruz. There are pop-ups that happen now and again but they don't hit the mark. Kaito is fantastic. We used to go to the restaurant when it was farther down on 41st, and never were disappointed. Although there's a bit of an empty echo in the food court at the mall, the fast casual approach Kaito has going there still has the same delicious quality we're accustomed to. I ordered the Aka Tonkotsu, fried gyoza, and he ordered the Jaja -- nicely presented spice, noodles well cooked. For me, the broth is what makes a good ramen, and I can't complain about this one. I considered leaving only four stars here -- would have loved to get an egg and the mall is such a strange place to eat. However, the food deserves five stars hands down. read more

Absolutely delicious! Best ramen we had. We love coming here with our daughter. The service is friendly and the place is clean

Most authentic (and delicious!) Japanese food in the county! Great sushi, ramen and AMAZING curry rice. We are so lucky to have this place. Brave the mall, you will not be disappointed. read more

Kaito used to be really good. Recently the sushi is all rice and when you pick a roll be prepared to get other ingredients not listed in the menu as well. In addition, the roll size seems to get smaller and smaller. I also ordered the charsu tonkatsu ramen which is supposed to have 5 pieces of meat. I only received 2... read more

Ramen Kaito - The sushi really lacks fish...and the flavor taste like a ball of rice. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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Definitely exceeded our expectations for sushi, but the service was a little lacking. I've never been to a Japanese restaurant where you weren't greeted upon entering. Only the sushi chef said hello while one out like four servers went to take care of another table that just sat down. Never once looked up to address us. Finally the sushi chef sat us at the bar. The kitchen food didn't look that appetizing, were pretty spoiled by ramen up in the Bay, so we played it safe with Udon and some sushi. The sushi turned out very tasty. - Try the sashimi sampler, it was like a little omakase! - Pink dragon is like the 49er rolls, comes with the lemon on top - very refreshing. - White dragon is lightly dressed - perfect drizzle of sauce, not that overbearing drenched in sauce crap that happens on a lot of rolls. - hotate nigiri, great fresh bite in the texture but was a little fishy still. We also had the tempura udon and everything came nice and hot - like burn your mouth if you're not careful. Even the tea came super hot - but their green tea blend was delicious too! Overall seems like a quality spot for food, but just be prepared for being ignored a bit and some inefficient service. read more

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Good sushi for being in the mall. Fresh flavorful. Great customer service. They have another spot on 7th Avenue, Sushi Market Sprouts. Should be 4 stars. read more

I called Kaito on the Monday before our planned dinner on Friday and was told only tables of 6 or more can be reserved and a wait is about 15-20 minutes for most walk-ins. When we (party of 5) got there at 6:45, a table in where you look like you are sitting on the floor (but not) was available but reserved. We waited about 20 minutes and was seated. Most of us ordered ramen and 2 people ordered sushi. The ramens came first, they were all delicious but it took a wait for the sushi to come because there was only one sushi chef there on a Friday night. While eating I was wondering about the reserved table in front of us because we would've really liked to have had that table. 30+ minutes after we were seated the party arrived for the reserved table, a party of 4. I am just wondering why they were allow to reserve a table while we were told otherwise. When I get a chance I will call them and ask for an explanation. read more

I ordered hamachi nigiri and tuna poke bowl with sushi rice :) it was amazing! The tuna melted in my mouth! And the sushi rice is perfectly seasoned! The nigiri is very traditional Japanese with just a touch of wasabi between the rice and fish :) I have yet to try the ramen but I have heard it is to die for!! read more

Ramen Kaito - Tuna poke bowl with sushi rice :) looked a lot nicer before I mixed it all :P - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Very yummy ramen and delicious tempura vegetables. The service was quick and friendly. We will definitely be back on our next trip when we have a ramen craving. The ice tea comes in a bottle. The hot tea is good. The vegetarian ramen is huge and I felt bad that I couldn't finish it. read more

Ramen Kaito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

Ordered the spicy chashu tonkatsu ramen...was very filling as it came with 5 slices of pork. The spiciness level is perfect..just gives a little kick. The broth was not too salty. The pork slices were perrrrfect--juicy texture and marinated taste, definitely on point. Friendly service, clean establishment, fast service. Just wish an egg or half an egg was included..you have to purchase an egg if you want it in your ramen. read more

Ramen Kaito - The broth was not too salty. The pork slices were perrrrfect--juicy texture and marinated taste, definitely on point. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Capitola, California

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The best sushi around --- and the owner is the kindest person! I would definitely recommend heading to the back entrance of the capitola mall to pick up sushi on your way home from work! It is absolutely fresh and delicious! read more