Called in for a take out during the weekend. Apparently both Ramen Dojo and Ramen Parlor shares the same phone number for take-out orders. I ordered 3 different kinds of ramen: Pork flavor, garlic pork flavor, and Tantan noodles with chili oil. The order was ready within 5 minutes after the call and well packed. Soup and noodles were neatly packed in separate bowls. Definitely a great option if you crave for great ramen. read more

First and LAST time coming here. Upon entering, as I went to the door to write my name the Asian host dramatically yelled at me to be careful not to take the clipboard off the glass door all while I was reaching for the pen.... I looked at him like he was crazy and ignored it at first. Then when the food came out, the orders were wrong and neither were spicy. I asked for another one and they simply took it back and brought it out with a heavy hand of the spices they provide you with at the table. LOL this is something I could have done myself. I Opted for the "popular" lobster garlic pork ramen. Nothing memorable. Nothing special. Within 5 minutes of getting our food, the same idiot host running around with his head cut off brings us our bill, as well as all the other tables. I felt insulted and rushed and frankly this was the last straw for me. The food was ok, the service was worst. Service shouldn't be compromised just because your busy. This place is busy all the time and if the host can't get a clue by now on how to be courteous to guests then he shouldn't work there. THE QUALITY OF SERVICE IS TERRIBLE AND FOR THAT ILL NEVER COME BACK. (Please note: The bad review is for the Asian male host and NO ONE else) What a waste of $30, I should have followed my gut and went to Benihana... Go to Orenchi... it's worth the drive read more

I got the Tan Tan Men and was fairly pleased. It was busy the night I came here and got quick service when we were seated. It would be best to make a reservation since we did a walk-in. The place is quite loud and has tight seating. read more

We made it to Ramen Parlor right when it's about to close for lunch at 2pm and boy was the restaurant still fully packed. The waiter was nice enough to take our orders and allow us to dine there when a table freed up. Thankfully it didn't take long and we got a seat within ten minutes. Apparently this ramen spot is quite popular, but I have never heard about it before. At this point in my life, I'm over waiting in lines for hyped ramen spot and I would rather dine at another spot without a wait. It's a small restaurant and the tables are really close together. It did feel a bit uncomfortable to eat with strangers at the restaurant within six inches from you. I ordered the pork ramen. Broth was a bit on the salty side and the ramen and pieces of pork was okay. The best part to me was the egg. That was delicious. Still a bit confused on why it's soo overhyped after trying the ramen here. Not a bad ramen spot but I don't see myself coming here frequently. read more

Where is my egg porn when I need it? You know, ever since ramen places keep popping up in the Bay Area, I started raising my standard of a good bowl of ramen should be. Personally, I don't think this place served bad ramen but they should really work on their food to keep their customers coming back. What I like about ramen parlor is the broth, I think it's tasty and goes really well with the noodles. The problem is the bad combination of ingredients. The bean sprouts and spinach really don't go well together in a bowl of ramen. It also looks disgusting visually when fat gets cold and starts to form a white gluey substance that coagulates on top of my soup and meat. Just look at the picture. The noodles are nothing remarkable, it tasted like you can buy it from a store. Though, I'm really not sure why they would served me a fully boiled egg. We ordered some sides which were okay. I had the fried oyster and takoyaki. TMI: the more I think about it, It could be an expired oysters that gave me diarrhea that same night.. If runny egg yolk porn is your thing, I recommend you go somewhere else. read more

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This is one of my favorite ramen places in the Bay! I absolutely love the rich, thick broth. I recommend: pork tan tan ramen lobster ramen read more

I ordered the lobster pork Ramen and it was WAY OVER PRICED than what they give. You don't get what you pay for here. The pieces of pork were 2 thin small slices. Even cheap deli slices were bigger that what they give.. half of soft shell crab which is like two bites, and two tiny quail eggs.. all for about $18 ( tax and tip) for a bowl of mostly cheap ramen noodles.. this is my last time eating here. Unless you are an 8 year old with a small stomach then this is the place because you won't be satisfied as an adult unless you want to fill your stomach with cheap noodles and carbs while paying $18.. read more

Food was great! Definitely one of my favorites in terms of quality and taste. Unfortunately, that's the only good thing about this place. There's one particular server who's especially rude (was snippy with us, another table (who actually started yelling at him), and a man simply waiting in line for the bathroom). This guy had no people skills whatsoever. I won't be back. read more

I heard that the Santa Ramen Corporation opened a new location next to Ramen Dojo. So I decided to go since I had eaten at Ramen Dojo earlier in the month. I went on Saturday afternoon 1PM. No wait and found parking in their front parking lot. That was a good start. The location had lots of windows and felt clean. Sat down and noticed their menu featured a new item "Tonkotsu Tan Tan Men." However, I wasn't really interested in it, so I just looked at the regular menu. Menu looked simple like Ramen Dojo's. Ramen section of the menu displayed: Soy Sauce Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil ($9.50) Curry Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil ($9.50) Miso Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil ($9.50) Pork Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil ($9.50) All ramens topped with Aburi Chashu, shrimp, ground pork, chopped white onion, bean sprout, green chives, kikurage mushroom, and romaine lettuce. On the other page of the menu, they had lunch time appetizers. Some small dishes including calamari, potstickers, wheat ball with octopus, etc... For our lunch meal, we ordered: *Deep Fried Wheat Ball with Octopus (3 pc. $3.50)-Tasted ok. Not overcooked or undercooked. But I felt disappointed because they didn't serve it with kombu (kelp) or katsuo-bushi (shaved dried bonito). I felt like this dish was incomplete because it only had the three balls on a stick and some sauce. *Pork Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil-Ramen Soup was not flavorful. I did not taste strong pork or garlic or lobster flavors. This place has a long ways to go, no wonder there was no wait on Saturday afternoon. The pork was grilled, but the meat didn't give me a melt in your mouth goodness. I was most confused with the ground pork. I didn't feel like the Chashu and the ground pork needed to be in the soup. Double the pork didn't make the soup better. Also, the chopped white onion made the soup taste even blander. This was not a good soup. Overall, I wouldn't come back. I rather wait to go to Ramen Dojo. read more

Ramen Parlor - Pork Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil ($9.50) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I got dinner with my boyfriend here a week ago. The shop is small so it gets filled up fast. It was especially busy that Friday night. Small space meant cozy seating with neighboring guests (awkwarddd). I ordered the soy sauce lobster ramen with bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, soft shell crab, and roasted pork slices. He ordered the garlic lobster pork ramen. We also shared the crab and cheese rolls. Crab and cheese rolls were around $5-6 and came with plum sauce. Presentation was nice. They were good but not really crabby. It tasted more like dried fish. I wouldn't get it again. The ramen I got was pretty good. On the lighter side compared to my boyfriend's but it was good in it's own way. Hearty, tasty, filling. Pretty satisfying experience. read more

Ramen Parlor - Lobster miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ordered their Parlor ramen with lobster soy sauce soup. The noodle is good and chewy, but the soup tastes ordinary. I don't think the use of lobster oil and shell crab matches a ramen bowl well. The portion is also small. You should also expect minimal service here. read more

Ramen Parlor - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

We came. We gorged. We left happy. Finally was able to try this place with a friend. We both really enjoyed our two shared appetizers and individual ramen bowls. FRIED CHICKEN with radish sauce $6.75?: not the best asian fried chicken I've had, probably wouldn't order again but glad I tried it. FRIED OYSTER $6.75?: Panko breaded and yummy. Would reorder. GARLIC LOBSTER PORK ramen (black): Added corn and egg with mine. I couldn't taste the lobster in this but it was tasty regardless. It was a nice twist/change on the flavor. I enjoyed it. If I had to pick, I think Dojo might win on the ramen noodles. I enjoyed the broth from both places. Parlor's space is slightly larger and offers more options. Dojo doesn't offer appetizers during lunch :( read more

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Finally a place that convinced that Ramen can be great. After a few sad attempts to eat a good Ramen between the Silicon Valley and even in San Fransisco, Ramen Parlor has changed my view on Ramen. Came here at around 1:15 and waited in line. Even though there was around 12 people other than us waiting, the wait was very short! The place is small so it doesn't seat a big number of people. The interior is interesting, almost like a cabin. R had the Crab meat Ramen and I had the garlic lobster pork Ramen. Both were really I mean really good, topped with fried soft shell crab and with delicious bbq pork slices. Even though we though both were really good, our favorite was by far the garlic lobster pork ramen. It's super good and extremely rich in flavor. The broth didn't taste at all like seafood, it just tasted great but The noodles are one of the best I have ever tasted. And comes with two quail eggs, I personally prefer just a normal egg though. By far the best Ramen in the area! read more

Ramen Parlor - Crab meat ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ultra yummy ramen!! Great value for yummy food. It's a little further out from San Mateo Downtown than we had imagined. Looks a lot closer on the map but ended up walking quite a bit to reach their shop. We almost wanted to give up and go for Ramen Dojo which was just one/two street before reaching Ramen Palour. Super glad we persisted! They have their own parking lot so that's convenient for drivers. We wrote our names on the clipboard hanging by the door. In less than 5 mins of waiting we were promptly seated, guess it's always easier for two vs groups. We ordered two classic ramen at $10.75 each, one Garlic Pork Flavor (mild spicy) and the other Pork Flavor (spicy) each. The ramen was served shortly after we were seated. The tasty of the soup was so good. We were debating on whether the broth was so good or did they add MSG. We asked the server who verified they added MSG. We believe the amazing taste came from both the thoroughly flavored broth as well as MSG. Minus a star for the MSG bit, I suspect it would taste brilliant still without the MSG. Perhaps try that Ramen Palour? The pork was so tender! It was cooked at a perfect level that it's so full of flavor, tender and juicy. One of the best pork I ever tasted! So so good. The noodles were really yummy too, likewise the other ingredients in the soup. We would have slurped up the entire bowl of soup if not for the MSG effect (thirst). It's a little away from downtown but they are definitely not short of crowd. Speedy service, fantastic yummy food. We will definitely be back! read more

Ramen Parlor - The so so so good Garlic Pork Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place was recommended to me by my hair stylist. I've been to Ramen Dojo a few times but didn't know that they had other locations also owned by the same family. I ordered the Lobster Garlic Pork ramen (recommended by Yelp) and added bamboo shoots. I got it medium spicy. My boyfriend opted for the Lobster Pork ramen, mild. The one thing I don't like that much about the Ramen Dojo family of restaurants is that certain toppings are so expensive to add. But I guess they make a healthy profit margin on $2 bamboo shoots toppings. I will say that this bowl of ramen came with a decent amount of toppings. Soft shell crab (which was delicious), nori, pork, kirage mushrooms, bean sprouts, quail eggs, and a few other things. I thought the broth was very flavorful and delicious. I did not like the mild one that my boyfriend got so much, but maybe that was because I tasted the spicy broth first. I think this place is sufficiently different than Ramen Dojo in the type of ramen that it offers that it's worth a try even if you've been to Ramen Dojo. I'd definitely come back again for that Lobster Garlic Pork ramen! Tip: Avoid this place when Ramen Dojo is closed, I think on Tuesdays. The lines in the evening get even more ridiculous than they usually are. read more

Ramen Parlor - Lobster garlic pork ramen, medium spicy. So good! - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'd probably give this place a 3.5stars. The garlic lobster pork ramen is the specialty here. So be sure to try that out. It's definitely different than some of the usual ramen flavors out there. I would say if you like light flavors for your ramen, you may like it more than I do. I did like the fact that it had real lobster chunks in here. The flavors in the broth was ok. I wish it would have more lobster and garlic flavors considering the name sake. I tried some of the other broths from my friends' bowls, and the flavors aren't that distinct. You can taste some of the differences, but it doesn't give you the burst of flavors that I like so much. The meat was ok too. It's tender, but not super juicy and too flavorful. It was good, but not great as well. The vegetables weren't mushy at least and were good as well. I think it's just that nothing really stood out for me at this restaurant. The ramen bowl was good, but it wasn't great. Also beware of long lines, maybe not as long as its sister shop Ramen Dojo, but still you have to wait. read more

Ramen Parlor - Lobster pork - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Ramen Parlor opens at 5:30pm for dinner, but my friends and I arrived early knowing that the other ramen spots were closed on Tuesdays. About 5 minutes before opening, folks started to line up in front of the door. We were asked how many people were in our party and got seated shortly after. We had the gyoza and fried chicken to start, with a bottle of Sapporo. Each of us ordered the lobster garlic miso ramen, which came topped with crispy soft shell crab. The spice level for my broth was medium, but I wasn't able to drink much of the soup because it was too spicy. I will definitely order mild broth next time and add some chili flakes as needed. I did appreciate the space in Ramen Parlor. The restaurant itself was much larger than Dojo, so there is some wiggle room and much better ventilation. They also have their own private parking lot. I think I prefer Ramen Dojo and Santa Ramen, but if I'm craving soup on a Tuesday, Parlor will be my spot! read more

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What a beautiful experience!!! By the name of the place, you would have guessed it right its a ramen noodle place. And the first image that would have popped up in your mind would have been of 'top ramen' noodles or other ramen noodles you bought from a Japanese supermarket. And you must be thinking what is great about it? I have had it for a dollar at my home and why should I go out and pay 10$ for something so generic?!?! Well, that's where you are wrong my friend! If top ramen is like 5 or 10 out of 100. This place ramen noodles are like 110 out of 100. You haven't had ramen if you hadn't ate it here. Beyond words delicious. I tried the miso ramen flavor with medium spicy that comes with the miso broth, sea weed, corns, two pork slices and half egg on top of my ramen. First bite, and I was in heaven! Such amazing flavor and appropriate quantity. There is always a long line outside of this place. The way the service works is you have to write down your name on the waiting list upon arrival (no advance reservation over phone). The waiter will come outside and take your order after giving you enough time to decide what you want to eat. The menu's are pasted outside their restaurant's window plus they hand it out individually too. This process usually takes about 15-30 minutes depending upon the crowd. And once there is seat available inside you will be called to go ahead and get comfortable. They bring out your drinks and food within 2 minutes. And it will take you 5 minutes to devour all that deliciousness inside a bowl. Fresh food, fast(-ish)service (after you get a seat) and great food at reasonable price. I couldn't have asked for a better Japanese cuisine dinner. Try it out! You won't be disappointed, I promise. read more

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I got there early before the place even opened at 11:30am, and there was already quite a line. It was only 11:15am and I was standing in line at the edge of the building. Before opening, the host will give you a menu, ask how many in your party, and then tell you they will not seat you until he sees everyone in your party. He doesn't care if they are parking, or if they're very close. He must see them physically there. Unfortunately, my party of 2 did not make it in time for the first wave of customers to sit down when the doors opened at 11:30. While we waited, the host took our order before he even had a table for us. I'm not sure how it works and why it's better to do it this way but it's nice to know there would't be additional waiting once we sat down. It didn't take too long till the first wave was done and we were brought inside. Our food arrived quickly. We both ordered the spicy crab miso ramen - medium with an extra egg. SO DELICIOUS. The half order of soft shell crab that comes in the ramen is TINY but still tasty. It also comes with some crab meat, two pieces of pork, and a bunch of green onion (or something similar - It had a harder texture than green onion so I couldn't tell). Broth was just the right amount of spicy, but the bowl overall felt like it was lacking broth. I really had to ration my broth. Like other reviews before me, there also isn't as much water as you'd hope. They don't come around very often to fill water up. Service is just ok - they really try to rush you out. Overall really delicious but the line and the no water isn't the greatest. read more

Ramen Parlor - Lunch set a : $4.95 when you order ramen. Kind of s lot of food but still delicious - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

My friend and I planned on "beating the rush" and met at 11:30 only to find that a huge line had already formed. My friend, who arrived before me had been able to get in line. The host gave her a menu to look at, and when she got to the front of the line, was told that she couldn't be sat without a full party (which I do understand given the line). When I arrived, the first "round" of people got sat, and we were told to stand aside. Thankfully the host remembered my friend and made sure we got sat after we had probably waited about 20 minutes. While we were waiting, the host took our order, along with many groups behind us. By the time we got sat, we only had to wait about 5 minutes before our ramen showed up. We both ordered the spicy crab miso ramen, medium spicy with an egg. I was definitely impressed by the presentation of the ramen, which came with a half order of soft shell crab, a large portion of crab meat, and various veggies. The broth was just the right about of spicy, but it wasn't as creamy as I expected. Given the spice level, we drank our water pretty quickly, but no one ever came to refill our glass. We didn't really have a server per se, so it did feel like we were forgotten about. The ramen was really good but compared to many of the competing places, it just doesn't make the cut. The line, lack of ambiance, and lack of service also contributed to my 3 star review. read more

Ramen Parlor - Your entire party must be present before you can be sat. - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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For under $10, I got the Spicy Pork Flavor with Garlic Lobster Oil including a yummy Black Sesame Oil topping. I really loved that it was just spicy enough and it was rich and delicious. Other than that, my memory fades into a happy purple haze of slurping, munching and moaning in general eating bliss. Great noodles, tender pork slices, some crunch, a savory broth with greens, and crispy toasted seaweed, I asked to be served on the side. Oh yeah: I do remember a small crispy thingy with dangling legs on the top. Turns out it was the fried soft-shelled crab--quite good. We got there just before noon and waited hardly 10 minutes before we got in. Lots of menu choices and variety, both pork-based and seafood-based. I must definitely go back. read more

Ramen Parlor - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I don't want to compare, but everyone always talks about how good Ramen Dojo (across the street) is and to be honest, I think Dojo is just okay and this place is so much better! I got the Soy Sauce Ramen this time and it was full of flavor, and you bet I slurped it down until the last drop. The pork and the soft shell crab was really good and one bowl was enough to fill me up and make me feel all warm inside (literally). Overall, I would totally recommend. This is probably my second favorite ramen shop in SM (after Himawari) and that's saying a lot considering there's a gazillion ramen places in SM! read more

Ramen Parlor - Soy sauce ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here 10 minutes before it opened and was seated within 15 minutes. There was a line prior arriving, so I suggest to come 10-15 minutes earlier if you're not trying to wait too long for seats. I ordered the Classic Garlic Pork which comes with the soft-boiled egg and added corn. My sister and boyfriend had the Lobster Garlic Pork. I was disappointed with the service because the guy that was hosting and taking orders was rude and the two ladies bringing out our orders looked like they didnt know what they were doing. We ordered Takoyaki as an appetizer and saw them bring it to another table nearby, only to find out it was ours -____-. When we got our ramen, my sister and my order was incorrect. We tried to tell the lady, but she said it was correct and walked away. I had to flag down the host to tell him it was incorrect, which he had attitude telling us it was correct. Once he got the pad that he was taking our order on, he realized mine was missing corn and it was added into my sister's instead. They never came around to refill out water, which was also a no-no. Other than the service, the broth was very flavorful for all three. They were all a bit too oily too. I liked my soft-boiled egg, but it could use a little more flavor. The soft-shelled crab that came with my sister and boyfriend's order was crispy, but lacks meat in the crab. Theirs came with quail eggs instead of the soft-boiled egg, which sucks but I had it in my order, so I ain't trippin' :) The noodles were thick and filling. I liked the touch of the veggies too. Probably won't be back anytime soon due to lines, but glad I came here to try it out. Will be trying Ramen Dojo & Santa Ramen soon to compare when I get the time :) read more

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I would this place a 3 1/2 star. I dined here with my boyfriend on a Friday night and wait for party of two took roughly 30 minutes. They have small parking lot which gets packed, but there are street parking available all around. We ordered: (Fried Chicken): basically a karaage. I really liked this appetizer here. It's actually seasoned very nicely and comes with a daikon relish and a broth at the bottom. The portion is nice, it had six pretty big pieces. Each piece could be 2-3 small bites or one really big bite! (Garlic Pork): I got this medium spicy and added on corn. I felt like their add-ons weren't worth the additional 1.25/1.50. Especially for items like corn... It came with 2 sheets of seaweed, 2 pork pieces, some spinach, mushrooms, and half an egg. Pork wasn't melt in your mouth or anything, but it was pretty tender. It was good overall. (Spicy Crab Miso): boyfriend got this extra spicy he thought it was "meh", wasn't what he expected. I got a sip of his broth and it tasted like Korean peppers.. With crab bits. That's the best I flavor profile I can compare it to. He also ordered extra noodles and it came in the side and not in the bowl itself, thought that was interesting. Not a bad thing. It was interesting too, they have us menus while we were waiting outside and had us order before we sat. It was pretty busy and we had to flag down someone to refill our waters. It took a little bit. Felt a little neglected since we sat on the far right side. They had also dropped the bill early while we were still eating. And we had our bill picked up and back to us before we got more water. When you're thirsty and need water.. And you're waiting, it can be a real downer. read more

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One of the better ramens I have had. Broth was very rich and milky with complex flavors. More fishy than I am accustomed to but not overpowering either. Really the perfect Covid winter comfort food. If it wasn't so far from where I live, I would frequent. read more

Woah, I'm impressed!!! I was originally planning to go to Ramen Dojo like usual but the wait seemed way too long and the tables didn't turn over as fast due to the small size of the restaurant. Thus, I decided to come here instead! Once again, I came at 12:40, crowded lunch time and there were at least 7 tables waiting. Luckily, I only had to wait ~15 minutes! The restaurant was FILLED with the lobster broth aroma - yass! I ordered the lobster garlic pork flavored ramen with kikurage mushrooms. My first sip of the broth, oh boy, so flavorful and rich!! I also got it in mild so it was a tad bit spicy but not too overly so. As for the add ons, it comes with a soft-shell crab (mhmm loved it! I don't know anywhere else that serves soft-shell crab with ramen so that's a plus!) 2 quail eggs, 2 slices of pork, seaweed, and mushrooms. There's a little parking lot in front as well but it's usually full! Will come back! read more

Ramen Parlor - Lobster garlic pork flavor - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I eat ramen every week. And when I go, I go to Ramen Dojo. So when I heard that a sister restaurant was opening NEXT DOOR, I was excited. I mean, lobster oil ramen??? I don't even know what lobster oil is but it sounded delicious! Still it took me a few weeks to actually try Parlor since I didn't want to possibly ruin my once-a-week bowl of ramen in case it was a bust. Granted I still wanted to go to Dojo after, but that might just be because Dojo is bomb. Started out with some yakitori appetizers, beef tongue and chicken. Both were very tender and nicely seasoned. Deliciousness on a stick! Then came out my miso ramen. I was expecting the same noodles as Dojo since that's what I read from reviews, but they were sightly different. I was also really excited to try bacon bits in my ramen, but it was substituted for ground pork that night (might have been a good thing from what I've read in reviews though). The one shrimp seemed lonely and out of place. I likened Parlor's to Katana-ya's ramen, a heavy broth that before the bowl is finished, you'll eventually get sick of it. In conclusion, Parlor was ok...definitely no Dojo. Its pros are that it's much less busy than its better sister, has its own parking lot, and their yakitori is pretty good but I definitely wouldn't drive my weekly 30 mins from SF during traffic hour for Parlor. read more

Meh..... Don't let the fact that Ramen Parlor has the same owners as Ramen Dojo fool you. The ramen was salty, which ruined the entire experience. There are a few ramen places in San Mateo to satisfy your ramen craving and a 99 Ranch that sells cup o' noodles before I visit this place again. read more

Ramen Parlor - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

- lobster garlic broth, so $, yesss!! plus they give you dried crispy garlic on the side - if you're coming during lunch, i think it's obvious to say come before 12 or you'll have to wait. I came in with a group of ~5 around 1145, we got seated right away -FYI, will not seat until everyone is there -if you can handle spicy, the extra spicy option is NOT that spicy. It's almost the perfect amount of tingle in your mouth. However, if you go to Halu in the city, that stuff is spicy read more

We ended up here because the navigation said this was our destination but truly we planned to go to Ramen Dojo. So what the heck, we decided to try it out. It didn't disappoint. We came about 30 minutes to closing and they were out of many of the broths but were able to get Lobster miso and a lobster soy. Too bad they didn't have the gralic lobster pork we really wanted but perhaps next time. Also ordered some japanese yakitori and it also was very well done and flavorful. We also ordered the fries which were surprisingly good because of the sauce. Other than that though, it's your standard frozen fries out of the bag. So all in all, this is a good spot to get some good legit Japanese bbq and ramen. It's much better than take out ramen joints or ramen from a non-ramen non-japanese restaurant (which is applenty nowadays and is basically ordering instant noodles at a restaurant, not saying that is a bad thing...) Anyways, next time, Ramen Dojo but for now, Ramen Parlor offers an overall great experience. The parking lot is a plus too! It's also lowered car friendly lolz read more

Ramen Parlor - Spicy spare ribs - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Meh. I've experienced WAY better! When they first opened, a few years ago, I was so excited to hear that Ramen Dojo has another sister ramen place! But man was I disappointed when I went. I tried the pork flavor with garlic lobster oil. It sounds SO good, but it was not. I was really turned off by it and decided to never return. But, a few months ago, I decided to give it another try. I thought maybe it was because I tried it when they were still relatively new and still a work in progress. This time, I got the garlic pork flavor (my go-to at all ramen places). I was once again, disappointed. The plus? Waiters are super nice and attentive! There's no wait. Also, they have a parking lot. read more

Ramen Parlor - Garlic pork flavor - looks so good. But looks can be so deceiving - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Was planning on going to Ramen Dojo, only to find out they were closed on Tuesdays (my friend and I thought they were closed on Monday's instead). Probably should've double-checked beforehand but since we were already in the area and meeting up two of our other co-workers for lunch, we trekked the half block to Ramen Parlor. A line had already started forming outside the restaurant, and it was only 11:20. Not a bad sign. My friends and I were seated shortly thereafter arriving. There was plenty of parking in their parking lot as well since we were early, but I can imagine it'd get pretty full once prime lunch hour hit. I got the classic pork flavor with no extras. My friend got the classic pork with medium spice, and I can't remember what out co-workers got. We also got the takoyaki as an appetizer (I've been craving that lately, for some reason). The takoyaki arrived in a few minutes, and altogether we waited about 10 minutes for our ramen. Not sure if that's long, but I was in good company so the time passing didn't phase me. Three takoyaki came in one order. It was hot, but not painful burn kind of hot. Each ball was drenched in what I thought was a little too much sauce. I made sure to wipe off a bit before I dug in. Also, we didn't get any plates so I was just careful to make sure none of the sauce dripped onto me. The flavor was delicious, and the piece of octopus in each ball seemed pretty generous. Usually after the first bite there's only potato left, but not this one. There was still plenty in the second bite! The sauce was pretty sweet, so while it may have been drenched in it, it wasn't too overpowering. The ramen came with half a seasoned egg, two pieces of seaweed, two pieces of fatty pork, and mushrooms. The broth was sweet, and the pork was so very tender. The egg was soooooo good, so I'm bummed we only got half! It doesn't beat Orenchi's egg, but it's a close second. The ramen itself, to me, tasted just like Ramen Dojo. My friend said the medium spice wasn't spicy enough for her, but spice levels can vary so much from place to place (she puts sriracha in everything so hopefully that helps as a benchmark for some of you :P ) I was told the two places are the same owner, so I wasn't too surprised. I know some people claim one is better than the other, but to each their own! It was a generous bowl of noodles for the price ($8.95), and I left very satisfied. Overall, I would definitely come back again. It's bigger than Ramen Dojo, but the tables are set up closer to each other. Not a big deal, as I wasn't able to hear any of the other conversations going on in the restaurant. I'm pretty much indifferent in terms of taste compared to Dojo, so if that place has an insane line, I'd be perfectly happy going to Parlor instead. Happy eats! read more

Ramen Parlor - Takoyaki - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Visits: 1st Rating: 4* Service: Excellent Dishes: Lobster Ramen w/Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab; Spicy Tan Tan Men Pork w/Black Garlic The broth here is slightly thick hence why it's so flavorful. But I wouldn't eat here every week due to health concerns. =\ But it is good stuff. ¤ Lobster Ramen (5*) w/Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab. No lobster here people just lobster oil. So don't get disappointed if you expect lobster meat, cuz you won't see any. But this is one of their best dishes never-the-less. Broth is so complex & flavorful. But the best part is the soft shell crab. How did they get it tasting so good? I don't remember ever having soft shell crab sooo good. ¤ Spicy Tan Tan Men (3.5*) Pork & Black Garlic. Also added Roe. Pretty good. You can just tell this broth simmered for hours rendering all that fat. Flavorful & oh so bad for you. read more

Ramen Parlor - Lobster Ramen w/Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab; Spicy Tan Tan Men (Pork & Black Garlic) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place is tiny! Just like its neighboring brother, Dojo. This review is only for the ramen and our overall experience with the place I had their lobster garlic broth and it was really good! Except that i couldn't really taste the lobster in it at all! I loved their pork which is like a japanese bacon looking thing! Also came with 2 quail eggs, some mushrooms, spinach, bean sprouts, seaweed, and the deep fried soft shell crab. Really nice touch there. For $10.75 , it's worth it! Sapporo beer was a great pair to the ramen I thought that our service was decent. Before we got seated, the server already asked us what we wanted which sounded weird at first but it makes sense! The sooner you order, the sooner you get your ramen. It's kinda nice that they have a parking spot in front of their place, but it fills up fast! You can easily spend up to $15 on your ramen if you fill it up with more veggies, eggs, seaweed etc. read more

Ramen Parlor - Lobster garlic broth $10.75 - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I came here again the second time over the weekend just to try the crab spicy miso with corn on the side, since they ran out the first time I was there. This one was not as good as the garlic lobster pork one. For some reason the soft shell crab wasn't really there but was replaced by bits of tiny crab meat that looked like imitation or those found in CA rolls (I was so disappointed). The broth wasn't really that great either...it was spicy, but feels lacking. I wouldn't order any of the chef specials (or whatever it was listed under) and would opt for the parlor special ramen instead: better soft shell crab and broth. read more

Ramen Parlor - The crab spicy miso with corn. It was mehhh - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I have to give this place a plus plus plus on top of their 5 stars. It's the best ramen I have had in the bay IMO. Other's may differ but I absolutely love this place. The ramen broth is seasoned well. I ordered the XXX-spicy Lobster Garlic Pork flavor ramen. The first bite had my mouth dancing. The chashu pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The noodles were perfectly cooked. It had a slight chewiness but yet pliable. The broth wasn't seafood-y as you may think since it has the essence of lobster. It was porky goodness!!!! All I have to say is my fav ramen joint to date!!!! Maybe I will change my mind once I am able to visit Japan and truly become a "ramen snob". It's such a tiny restaurant that you will have to wait. Just expect to wait so you won't be disappointed when you arrive. By the way, don't plan on coming with a large group because it will be near to impossible to get seated in proper accommodations. I would say 4 max or split up your party if it is much larger. read more

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When coming here, it was around lunch time. There was a wait list, but the list went by pretty fast. The staff was very friendly; while I was waiting, I walked inside to ask for some water. The hostess/server was very generous and gave me a regular cup with water. While we waited outside, a server took our orders and served us quickly after we sat. I ordered a crab ramen and I asked for no pork cuts (and they remembered--which made me very happy!); I asked for the spice level to be medium. We also ordered deep fried oysters, lobster pork ramen, and more. Ramen was very good! It needed just a tad more salt (maybe I should lay off the sodium a bit, ha ha), but regardless, it was delicious. I would definitely come again. read more

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I arrived around 5:50 on Friday night and waited in line for about 15 minutes. You have to write your name on the list. What was great was the waiter took my order while I was in line so, by the time I got seated, the food came out in about 5 minutes. I ordered the chicken wings and the extra spicy garlic lobster pork ramen with corn. Very good ramen! The "extra spicy" was actually very spicy but tasted so good. I also loved that the ramen came with toasted seaweed and a soft-shell crab without charging extra. I took off a star because of the chicken wings. There wasn't much of a description on the menu except that it said, "Chicken - wings - $3.50." It was two wings on a stick with a flavorless, dry rub so I don't recommend the wings. read more

Ramen Parlor - Extra spicy garlic lobster pork ramen with corn - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here for lunch on a Friday and wait was about 10-15 mins. Dinner time is a bit more busy. Ordered: Ramen with garlic lobster soup base. Mild spicy is good enough for me. Comes with a. Quarter of a soft shell crab. You can add extra for $4.95. The Ramen was delicious not too soggy and the soft shell crab was fries to a nice crispy texture. Soup base seemed oily so I wouldn't want to drink the whole bowl. Other than than ramen is quite delicious! read more

Ramen Parlor - Garlic lobster ramen soup base - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

One of my new favorite ramen spots. Service is friendly and super quick, however, plan on waiting in line for atleast 10-15 mins if you arrive during lunch. As for the food, go for the signature garlic lobster ramen and you won't be disappointed. I like to get a side of egg since the ramen only comes with couple of quail eggs. Broth is flavorful and the noodles are perfect. Great spot for ramen in San Mateo. read more

Ramen Parlor - Garlic lobster and pork ramen with soft shell crab - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California