Order Ramen Lab Takeout or Delivery
Ramen Lab Photos
Business Info
RAMEN LAB ATMOSPHERE
You might also consider
More like Ramen Lab
Recommended Reviews - Ramen Lab
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
I've never been to a build your own ramen bar & considering a flight to Korea is quite pricy, I figured I could try this spot out. It seems like it replaced What the Cup in Santa Teresa! Ordering at the kiosk was convenient!! I decided to purchase the shin ramyun stir fry with spicy beef flavor with green onion, chicken, and corn as add ons. This totalled to around $10, which I was surprised by. I also ordered a shine muscat-ade pouch drink for $3. Quite yummy and helped with tempering the spice level of my order, but reminded me a bit of grape cough syrup. The ramen machines were broken during my visit so they made my order for me in the kitchen, I like that you can also control how much spice you put in your bowl since they don't do it for you. Overall unique experience. I don't know if I would come back just in terms of the price point!
Came to stop by for the ramen lab experience and I would say, I'm not impressed or wasn't expecting a big impression. The place is really quiet and smal, while with limited staff, I was able to pick out my ramen and got my drinks. I would say it's on the pricier end for instant ramen. I ordered a side of beef and it was nice that they had toppings on the side. Something I can do at home for the price but you pay for the experience.
I came here after hearing good things about the place. There was plenty of parking when I arrived on a Sunday evening after my taiko class. The place was kinda small and busy, but I managed to grab a seat next to a family of five. Unfortunately, the noodle cooking machines were out of order, so the server told me I could order through the kiosk and give them the packet of noodles I wanted to eat. They had a wide variety of noodles to choose from, along with drinks and snacks. It took about 20 minutes for my noodles to arrive, topped with green onion, egg, corn, cheese, and spam. The server also gave me some red paste to add extra flavor to the soup, which definitely made it tastier and spicier. I've had better soup at other places for the same price, but it was worth at least trying.
Can you make this at home for cheaper? Yes. But I think the experience of coming here you should definitely try at least once. First pick out your ramen choice from the endless wall of options, order at the kiosk or front desk if you want to add on sides to your order. They will give you the bowl and instructions on how to use the machine for your ramen type. There are different settings for dry ramen and soup ramen. Add your sides and enjoy! I added pork, mozzarella, and a boiled egg to mine and it was perfect. The water machine really cooks the noodles to perfection every time. Love that they give corn, lime, and green onions for free. The only one thing I didn't like was that the egg was boiled all the way through. I would have preferred a soft boiled egg with ramen. Overall it was a cool experience but def pricey for what you get.
We went here during a Friday lunch. It's located next to Kenzo's AYCE sushi. There was plenty of parking available as they share parking space with Kenzo's sushi. As soon as we walked in, I noticed how small the restaurant is. There was like 6-8 tables only. It was crowded when we arrived so I had to maneuver through other folks looking for their choice of instant ramen packs. The concept is you have the option to make your own instant ramen or order the ramen and other Japanese/Korean hot foods from the menu. There is one kiosk in the front by the kitchen where you place your order. There you can order additional toppings for your ramen and appetizers. Then you choose your premium instant ramen packs located on two of the walls around the restaurant. They also offer Japanese/Korean snacks and drinks you can purchase as well. Once you're able to get a table, you wait for the server to come drop off your order. The server will give instructions for how to cook your instant ramen from the multiple machine burners offered at the front. The service was friendly and efficient. My son loves ramen so he loves this make your own instant ramen concept. Just remember the more toppings you order for your ramen it can add up. My son only wanted a hard boiled egg in addition to his ramen so he was a cheap date. Lol. My sweet and chilli chicken Gang Jeong was drenched with sauce but it was good. It looks like we'll be back as my son loves ramen. He's already planning what toppings to add to his ramen next time around.
Tried this on a random Thursday evening and was not disappointed! I will say I was a little shocked at the sticker price of the ramen - $5.50/ramen (because I've been so used to purchasing an 18 pack shin ramen for $15 at costco so less than $1/ramen) but it was balanced out by the more decently priced chicken ($12) and bulgogi bowls ($13). In total for 2 dishes and a ramen, it was no more than $35 and for a dinner out for 2, I don't think that's half bad! My husband and I went to one of these ramen labs in Korea and thought it was fun that the idea made it to the Bay Area. It was only aboht 10 minutes south of us in South SJ, so it was very accessible and easy parking. My husband picked out a seafood ramen, one which I haven't seen at the grocery so at least it felt like something new. I'd definitely come back to try the other bowls and ramen!
I came here mainly for the experience. You basically start by ordering on the kiosk, then they hand you your bowl and you head over to the wall to choose your noodles. Once you choose your noodle, you go over to the other side to add your hot water and wait for your number to be called to pick up your toppings. I tried one of their green grape pouch drinks, and it was really good. The noodles themselves were just okay. I know you could make this at home but, this place is mainly for the experience.
Came for the experience - If you're planning to get all the toppings and extras, you might end up paying $15-$20 for a bowl of ramen. The selection is pretty diverse, there were some noodle packets that I would never have had the chance to try. It's definitely not fresh ramen quality, but it's decent for something quick.
I love the concept of this place. Yes, it is expensive for instant noodles that you could make at home, but sometimes you just want to go out or be in a different setting lol. The first time I went here, I really enjoyed the experience of picking my ramen, adding hot water and other toppings. However, the water machines have been off the last couple times that I came back. Now, they bring your ramen in the back and cook it for you. That takes away from the experience and makes it less enjoyable.
Honestly a fun experience people should try. If you're looking for something quick easy to eat, this is for you. Don't expect super high quality foods, but expect the feeling of home. Lots of great toppings such as corn and cheese. And a good variety of sides like beef and pork. Lots of noodle options here that you can customize to your liking! I'd say if you miss little ramen shops at Korea and Japan, then come here!!!
Live near by but did not know this place was here. Not too big inside, enough seats for about 15 people. Glad it was not busy in the early afternoon. Definitely had to ask the staff how this place works. Either you can choose from one of the many different Ramen options that they have on the wall, or you can order one of the soups that they make. They have bento boxes that we didn't try and other appetizers. Definitely worth trying again since we know what to do now. Only negative was for my kids, the chairs are pretty low and the table is too high for them to sit and eat. They had to sit on their knees on the chair. I ended up trying one of the mushroom noodle packets with extra meat, which was pretty good, my youngest son just got the plain udon, he liked, my oldest got the tonkatsu ramen that they make, he liked it. Definitely worth a try for the experience, but go there knowing that they have a few options and might take a bit to order. Rookie mistake. Make sure you take the toppings out of the paper before you put the water in.
It's really nice seeing What The Cup get rebranded into this new shop. When we walked into the store, you can see shelves of instant ramen all over the wall to choose from. Even though there's a self-serve kiosk, the host/owner were super helpful and offered us such great hospitality. You start off by walking over to the shelves to pick out your desired instant noodle, then you head over to the kiosk to add any additional toppings of your choice. Afterwards the host gives you a bowl where you put your instant ramen in. Finally, you put it on this heat induction where it cooks your noodles to perfection! I ordered the seafood jjampong and my girlfriend got the spicy Jin Ramen. Both were super flavorful and the noodles were cooked evenly with the additional toppings that we ordered. It was really cool seeing how they still had their old menu items such as their house made ramen, rice bowls and even bento boxes. A feedback that I would say is that the toppings are a tad bit on the pricer side. The instant ramen is already 5 bucks and the toppings you add can rack up if you aren't paying attention. Overall, not a bad place for the experience and I would highly recommend anyone who loves instant ramen.
Ramen Lab is a cozy ramen shop with a variety of ramen choices and some kitchen cooked items. You are able to pick your ramen and cook them with a Korean ramen maker, which is really cool! You are also able to purchase add-ons to your ramen, like Korean beef and egg. Employees are pleasant to interact with and are approachable. Overall, this is a nice spot to get a quick eat!
2 years ago
Great experience! Many choices of ramen to pick from (I did think there would be more but they had a good amount). We went around 1pm (very busy as it is lunch time). There are various tables to sit at There is only one self serve kiosk though, so be ready to wait in line. Snack counter had some snacks (not full). Drinks looked yummy but there wasn't a wide selection. Overall a fun and unique experience, would recommend! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
Concept is good but execution can be better if their inspiration is from the trending Korean convenience store diy ramen you see on social media. I've seen reels of people in Korea making DIY instant ramen at 7/11 and I thought it was fun and wished there was something like that here. When I found out about this place, I was excited to give it a try but was disappointed to find out none of the machines worked today. No one even told us and no obvious sign was posted. Just a tiny note on the ordering kiosk. Also, there was no self service of gathering your own toppings. The bagged drinks did not come with iced cups. I think my expectations were too high... Prices for the diy ramen are kind of high. 5.50 for just the bagged ramen cooked. With added toppings, that can go up to 15 bucks easily. I hope another restaurant with this concept comes up later and actually makes the experience just like in Korea and make it unique at an affordable price, because that's pretty scammy if you're paying 15+ bucks with toppings for packaged ramen you can get at ranch 99 that you can make at home for cheaper. Their ramen and curry bowls from the kitchen are good. Rather eat that than the DIY ramen. I'll visit this place again. Hopefully next time the machines work. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
They have the best tonkotsu ramen I have had in the bay. At a very affordable price glad they kept it after starting the instant ramen option. Their garlic chicken is also amazing with a side of rice. Chill spot to always have lunch at. And fast service every time. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
The food is amazing and delicious. The service is good, the people that work there is very nice and the place is nice read more
1 year ago
The staffs here are nice and also the service! Many ramen and drinks varieties. This is also affordable and similar to those korean self serve stores. I am satisfied about everything in this small shop. Overall, the place is very nice I love everything in this store :D read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
When it opened , I was very excited and had high hopes in this place. Owner was nice. Ramen choices were plenty , and the cooking machine was fun. Very much like a Korean convenient store. I asked the owner if he could add cheese sausage as options in the future and he sounded promising. For the last two months I visited twice. The rose ttbokkei tasted too sugary. The machines were never turned on. She told me it was 'in repairment' but couldn't give me when it would be fixed. The instant noodle was over cooked at the kitchen. The kiosk always overcharged me because it didn't erase the last person's order. And I never saw the owner again. What happened ? I paid extra for the fun of cooking by myself ( and my teenagers). I didn't pay overpriced ramen for their kitchen to soaked it into spicy broth and the noodles were soggy. While they said the machines were broken , I felt it was an excuse to save electricity and the mess customers made after. Clearly this place is promoting for its machine not the instant noodle. If they are truly broken ( all 6 of them ?) , please close down your business and fix them. Don't trick us. I am very disappointed. Service is still great but the quality and the price are not worth it. I will not go back until they decide to turn the ramen machines back on. read more
2 years ago
I've been a customer here long before they rebranded and redecorated restaurant when it was known as What The Cup. Looks nice but unfortunately today the customer service, quality of food, and wait time was ridiculous.. The wait time was 30+ minutes, not just for fried food but for the instant ramen since all the machines were down. They got more and more backed up since the machines were down and none of the customers were finding out that information until after they made their purchase. A lot of people were left waiting in the small space that was available, some asking for refund due to the wait time and after seeing all the machines down. Small signs on the machines is not an efficient way to let customers know this issue and had they put up better ones they could have avoided this crazy back up. We then waited 45 minutes for our order, only to come home and see the portions were ridiculously small for the WTC fries. Small amount of fries, small amount of meat, small amount of kimchi. I've ordered here not even 2 weeks ago and the food portions were not like this. The bowl used for the WTC fries was significantly smaller than what they usually use just a few weeks ago. Putting a picture of someone's review of that same order just 5 days ago and you can see the difference. And one of the fry orders wasn't even the correct fries used for that dish. This wouldn't have bother me as much as it did but hard to ignore after the very long wait time for food that wasn't its usual standards and at the price we paid. I like the food here and is usually good but today unfortunately it was not. read more
2 years ago
For instante ramen this place was sooo expensive. None of the hot water machines were in service. Staff was nice but they were arguing on the other side of the counter. The food was cold, the toppings are refrigerated so everything was just cold. Would not recommend. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
Very nice experience with the kids. We all chose a different ramen pack and customized with our favorite toppings. The service was amazing, kind workers, and fast service. The variety of juice drinks was very different and the ones we did try were really good! It was a bit pricey but very good to experience at least once. read more
1 year ago
The place itself is so cute but unfortunately the machines were down when we went; thankfully the kitchen was up and running. We chose our ramen, toppings, drinks & snacks and checked out at the kiosk. It took less than 10 minutes for them to make our plates and it was delicious! Another downside was that they didn't have any ice for drinks and the cups were very small. We got a tteok-bokki plate which was alright but the lady that helped us told us there were no fish cakes in it (there were) & also told us the sauce was spicy (it was not). It just seemed like the staff wasn't familiar with the menu & was kind of lost when I asked questions. Other than that I really enjoyed it & will definitely be coming back! read more
1 year ago
I saw this on ig reels, the concept is nice, you can cook your own instant noodles but sadly their machine was not working that time when we went there. We ordered ramen and tteokbokki & my daughter ordered the chapagetti which was her favorite noodles & my son just ordered fries. For the price and the place, it's good. The ramen they cook it's good but not the best. I give 5 star because we love the experience and the ambiance. My kids love it, they asked me when are we coming back there and also the service is fast. I suggest you guys check this place out, it's nice & cute, it's good for hanging out. Oh and also we love the drinks we ordered read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Very good service and variety of ramen options! Cute store and open at the best time to have some instant ramen read more
2 years ago
1st time coming, great ramen options, great service, chill area, definitely coming back for more nexttime! read more
1 year ago
When we went it was quite busy so you really had to be on the lookout to get a table. The experience is pretty cool itself. You go around the room to find which ramen you'd like. Then you go to the order kiosk to ring up your ramen, drinks, and any add-ons you'd like. They give you a bowl and your add-ons and you can head to a ramen heating station to heat up your bowl. I enjoyed my ramen and the drink packets. I would definitely recommend the fries too! read more
1 year ago
The ambiance was nice and relaxing. I was looking forward to the ramen machines, but they weren't working. The kitchen had to cook the noodles and gave the toppings on the side. I chose the gonghwachun black bean noodles and they were not bad. Comparing it to Chapagetti, I prefer Chapagetti because it's a stronger flavor. All in all, I had a good experience at ramen lab. read more
2 years ago
This place was a 10/10! I loved the experience and the staff is extremely friendly! This was our first time here and the cashier so friendly and patient with us! I would 100% come back! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Fun place for lunch today. There are two walls of ramen choices to choose from ranging from mild to very spicy. There are also options of regular ramen options from no spice to very spicy. Lots of available add ons as well. Small selection of drink's available as well as a modest snack section. My tonkatsu ramen was very good with good bouncy noodles and flavor. Hubby said his instant ramen was cool for the experience and he appreciated the add ons as well. Service was very helpful with selecting the appropriate spiciness levels of the ramen as well as the cooking apparatus for the instant ramen. Will be back with the kids. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
Store is very aesthetic. Straight up looks like the in house ramen cooking stores you see in Korea. Their menu is expansive there's many options to pick from from the packaged ramen, to actual ramen, rice bowls and popular Korean street snacks. A fun place to hang out and grab something quick to eat. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Super cool. There were many ramen options to choose from and the cashier was nice. The decorations were nice and played nice k-pop music. read more
7 months ago
More info about Ramen Lab
Ramen Lab Reviews in Other Languages
Ask the Community - Ramen Lab
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
12 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
10 months ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
10 months ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
Ramen Lab - ramen - Updated September 2026
Best of San Jose
People found Ramen Lab by searching for…
Trending Searches in San Jose, CA
Browse Articles
Browse Nearby
BEST of San Jose, California Restaurants near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Coffee near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Parking near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Sushi near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Desserts near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Pho near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Things to Do near Ramen Lab
BEST of San Jose, California Mall near Ramen Lab
Browse Brands
Related Searches in San Jose, CA
Authentic Izakaya Dining Experiences in San Jose, California
Best Dim Sum Places to Try in San Jose, California
Best Korean BBQ All You Can Eat Deals in San Jose, California
Best Korean Fried Chicken Spots Around San Jose, California
Best Places for Brunch in San Jose, California
Best Places for Jajangmyeon Noodles in San Jose, California
Best Places for Poke in San Jose, California
Best Places to Enjoy Curry in San Jose, California
Best Shabu Dining Options in San Jose, California
Best Teriyaki Chicken Meals in San Jose, California
Best Vegan Restaurants to Try in San Jose, California
Delicious Dumplings Available in San Jose, California
Delicious Ice Cream Treats in San Jose, California
Delicious Onigiri Options to Try in San Jose, California
Delicious Soup Spots to Try in San Jose, California
Discover All You Can Eat Sushi in San Jose, California
Discover Authentic Filipino Food in San Jose, California
Discover Authentic Indian Food in San Jose, California
Discover Authentic Kimchi Dishes in San Jose, California
Discover Delicious Noodle Soup Options in San Jose, California
Discover Japanese BBQ Restaurant Choices in San Jose, California
Discover Top Asian Food Options in San Jose, California
Discover Top Mediterranean Food in San Jose, California
Discover Top-Rated Kimbap Places in San Jose, California
Discover the Best Boba Drinks in San Jose, California
Discover the Best Sushi Spots in San Jose, California
Enjoy Authentic Chinese BBQ Dishes in San Jose, California
Enjoy Authentic Peking Duck Specialties in San Jose, California
Enjoy Authentic Tempura Dishes in San Jose, California
Enjoy Delicious Tteokbokki in San Jose, California
Enjoy Traditional Bibimbap Meals in San Jose, California
Experience Authentic Omakase Dining in San Jose, California
Experience Korean Food BBQ Dining in San Jose, California
Explore BBQ Restaurants Near San Jose, California
Explore Delicious Vegetarian Food in San Jose, California
Explore Popular Fried Rice Recipes in San Jose, California
Explore Spicy Food Options Near San Jose, California
Explore Top Taiwanese Food Choices Around San Jose, California
Explore Vietnamese Food and Culture in San Jose, California
Find Bento Boxes Available in San Jose, California
Find Delicious Jjajangmyeon in San Jose, California Today
Find Delicious Korean Tofu Soup in San Jose, California
Find Delicious Rice Bowl Options in San Jose, California
Find the Best Ayce Options Available in San Jose, California
Find the Best Cold Noodles in San Jose, California
Find the Best Teriyaki Dishes in San Jose, California
Find the Best Tonkatsu Dishes in San Jose, California
Fresh Oysters Served in San Jose, California
Fresh Sashimi Options in San Jose, California
Highly Rated Japanese Restaurant Locations in San Jose, California
