First off, I dine on about 20 bowls of Ramen a year. Not a lot but enough to be relevant. I came to Santa Ramen tonight about 5:15 and ordered my usual garlic pork ramen. I was pleased to find out I got a complimentary add on to my order as it was before 6:00. I chose the karagee chicken. Given also the WiFi password. Great! I've been to all the local ramen joints in the area including ramen parlor and ramen dojo. All good. But this was by far the best bowl of ramen I have ever eaten. First the karagee was crispy and complimented with a tangy dipping cause. Very good. But the ramen...presentation, broth flavor, meats, and vegetables were absolutely delicious. I'll be back here soon. Jeezus... $25 with a large Sapporo...can't wait. Good job Santa Ramen. read more

It's 1:45pm we ordered and waiting for our food, the waitress dropped off the bill and says the register is closing please pay now. Their lunch service ends at 2pm. The dining room is half full, a bit of a odd experience. Food is always good. read more

I ordered the pork belly Ramen ONLY wanted the pork belly, but you cannot substitute or just have one meat which sucked. The broth was really good and creamy. I got medium spicy, but the meat was cold on the Ramen and the other thing that threw me off was how the server lady kept the same gloves on taking orders, getting cash, cleaning dishes, wiping tables with the same gloves and touching their face with same gloves. The pork belly was cold cold meat on my soup was not the thing. read more

Been a patron for over a decade now. Just the perfect bowl of soup for the kind of weather these days. My usual is the Santa Ramen Garlic Pork, medium spicy. The broth is just an explosion of flavor in your mouth and the noodles are pretty good. The service is friendly and the place can get quite busy in the evenings. read more

See all

Men i was so hungry we came a little before they close when we got out food and we are ready to eat all of a sudden all the staff was behind us and arguing, O can't understand what they were talking about coz it was Spanish its kind of annoying coz they were loud i didn't eat i just ask for to go box instead. read more

I'd heard good things about this place from friends. I wouldn't say it's a must-try, but it definitely isn't bad either, overall, I'd call it decent. The flavors were solid, and the noodles were cooked perfectly. One funny thing was that this was the first ramen spot I've been to that served a hard-boiled egg, which felt a little unusual, but I guess it's a new twist worth trying. All in all, it's a reliable spot if you're in the mood for ramen. read more

Santa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

I love santa ramen so much! I haven't been in a while since we moved farther away from San Mateo. But we used to go all the time and it was our favorite ramen spot. We try to make the trip down often. The gyoza and santa ramen are always my go to on the menu. The gyoza is fried to perfection. The santa ramen with miso broth is my favorite of all time. The broth is so rich and creamy. The staff is always so friendly and attentive! The place itself is definitely a big place with moderate seating. read more

Santa Ramen - Fried Gyoza - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

Santa Ramen just isn't what it used to be. I remember years ago this place had lines out the door and you'd be waiting for awhile to get seated. This time I ordered the soft shell crab ramen, mild spicy with garlic broth. It was fine, nothing amazing. They use a regular hard boiled egg, which is kind of weird to me because most ramen spots have those really good marinated eggs. And they only give you half an egg. We came on a Friday around 6pm and walked right in. Only a handful of tables were taken. After we finished eating, we sat and talked for about 30-45 minutes and no one ever came by to clear the table. I'm hoping they can bring back some of that old quality because this place used to be great. read more

Went to Santa Ramen for a quick lunch and ordered the Pork Cheek Miso Ramen. I enjoyed the tender meat and bounciness of the ramen noodles but thought the soup was so salty. I was really thirsty afterwards! I wish the egg had come soft instead of hard boiled like your typical ramen egg. I came here years ago and enjoyed it but think the quality may have gone down. read more

The Tonkotsu Ramen is rich and flavorful, with a deeply satisfying pork broth that's silky and hearty. The Chicken Karaage is a crispy, golden delight. The outer coating is wonderfully crunchy, while the inside is juicy and tender. The atmosphere at Santa Ramen is cozy and inviting. The restaurant has a modern yet comfortable vibe The staff is friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. Santa Ramen is an excellent spot for those craving rich, flavorful ramen and crisp, tender fried dishes. The combination of great food, inviting ambiance, and attentive service makes it a must-visit for ramen lovers. read more

See all

One of my favorite ramen restaurants in San Mateo! All Ramen broth available are really delicious, and I especially like the pork cheek and the fried crab. A great plus is the availability of parking. read more

The ramen here is solid. Probably in the top 5 on the peninsula. The broth is super rich and creamy and packed with umami. The noodles are firm and al dente, just slightly undercooked. The pork belly is meaty and flavorful. Our biggest complaint is that the last couple times we've come here, the kitchen was suuuuper slow. The food took forever to come. In our most recent visit, we waited nearly an hour for our food to arrive. This seems pretty ridiculous. One of the staff is incredible - super warm and attentive. The other staff seem like they'd rather be somewhere else. read more

See all

I was in the area to watch a play, and this was recommended by a friend. There were tables available but there was only 1 server so I got seated in 5 minutes. Of all the ramen choices, I ordered the Santa Ramen with a Yokohama style broth of miso and tonkotsu. The broth was wonderful, the pork was tender, the noodles perfectly to the bite. I liked you could choose your broth choice. It would have been perfect if the egg was runny instead of hard boiled. Also, the bowls are smaller than you would expect in other ramen restaurants with the same price points. My son tried the pork tonkatsu bento which came with salad and edamame. Instead of being served in a bento box it was served on a big plate. Food was good and authentic. The restaurant soon filled up and those who came in later added their name to a waitlist. Giving it 4 stars because service was slow to to limited waitstaff. read more

I enjoyed my food here today; had the special mackerel. It's breaded and deep fried golden colour. Comes with a nice spring salad, dressing and a small scoop of macaroni salad. You get 3 pieces of deep fried breaded fish, 2 pieces of deep fried shrimp and a bowl of plump, warm tasty rice. The fish was perfectly fried and tender. Not fishy at all. The shrimps were good as well. In fact, everything was fresh tasting. $16.99 before taxes and tip. Good value for quality food. Parking: ok Customer service: very good. My water was never below 1/4 empty. read more

-santa ramen garlic pork (mild spicy) we visited on a weekend in the afternoon and the wait time wasn't too busy. the service was pretty fast and efficient. ramen broth was rich and flavorful, but the broth was a bit saltier than the previous times we've had it. read more

Santa Ramen - santa ramen - garlic pork flavor - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Absolutely delicious! I'm surprise by the ratings, it should be much higher! I came in on a Wednesday around 1, it was still pretty busy. They say me quickly and got me a menu and water fast. Ordered the dynamite ramen, absolutely delicious, it's definitely spicy, but just enough to have you breathing hard but wanting more!! The broth was amazing! The service was great too! read more

A well earned four stars. Good price, good taste, pretty quick service. This place has been around forever, I'm glad I finally bothered to try it. The egg wasn't very good and the portion could have been slightly better but it's not like it was skimpy. I'll be back to try more menu items. Don't get this "dynamite ramen" option if your stomach is a bit off. It was yummy but I should not have gone with something so spicy with my stomach not in totally prime condition read more

Santa Ramen - Dynamite ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

The OG ramen spot I finally made it to lol. Better late than never? Anywho, showed up at 530 on a Saturday, 20 minutes later every table is filled with a line out the door. We ordered the karaage (4-piece) appetizer. You can choose from 2, 4, or 6 pieces. I love the options. The pieces are huge so def could've gone with the 2 piece... Especially since we ordered two additional appetizers on top of this. It was perfectly cooked though. Great crunch to the skin. Not greasy. The fried oysters were yummy too but the breading was a tad thick for my preference. I don't know why I keep ordering the takoyaki though. It was perfectly cooked, had good flavor, but I just hate how saucy they are and their lack of textures. Anyways, nothing wrong done on their end I just keep ordering it when I don't like it that much. I think I keep hoping I will tho. As for the ramen, both got the garlic soy broth, I got the softshell crab, husband got the pork belly. Perfectly cooked proteins but no spice to either dish. He got mild and I got medium. Nada heat. Sad. Otherwise noodles were perfectly cooked but their egg was hard boiled - which it's advertised as such- but I'm a soft boiled fan. read more

See all

Came here with the family of four, and wow -- it did not disappoint! It's been a while since our last visit, but the ramen is still as amazing as we remembered. The broth is deep, rich, and full of flavor, and that spice? Total killer (in the best way). Every slurp was pure happiness read more

Santa Ramen - Red Hot Hit ... LOVE - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

The ramen here is amazing. Consistent and delicious with a great vegan option. Staff go our of their way to provide fast and friendly service. This is a great place to come with friends, family or for a casual date night. read more

Santa Ramen certainly has a lot of competition in San Mateo, but I found their Yokohama-style ramen to be nice and comforting. Their Yokohama broth wasn't overly salty and didn't go insane on the miso flavor. Nice balance! I also appreciated how many toppings they give you; normally, things like spinach and corn tend to be add-ons for extra cost. While egg wasn't boiled to the point where the yolk stayed jammy, I still enjoyed it since the yolk was still fairly soft. And the pork! It practically melted in my mouth. Staff were very nice and gave us our check right a few moments after we finished. I'd definitely come here again. :) read more

Santa Ramen - Santa ramen with yokohama (miso + pork) broth - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

This place was just okay. It's not what it used to be. I remember when this place used to have a line out the door but we were able to get seated quickly on a Friday evening. I ordered the garlic pork broth and it lacked flavor. The karaage was delicious and crispy. The egg is just a regular hard boiled egg. Soft shell crab also lacked flavor. read more

Santa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

I love Santa Ramen! My boyfriend brought me here as it's his favorite ramen in the Bay Area, and the only one he says is similar to the ones in Japan. His mom is Japanese and grew up in Japan, and has a stamp approval for this restaurant as well. It's very clean and has a warm environment. They're super consistent with their yummy broth and service. The servers always checked to make sure we had water, and service has always been quick. We went around 5 PM and the restaurant was already trickling in people! Straightforward process, no frills and just good ramen. I will say I wish the egg was soft-boiled, but it was still yummy and I didn't miss the usual soft-boiled egg. Highly recommend! read more

Santa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

This place is a very cozy place to have fresh ramen on a cold rainy day or any other kind of day. The Dynamite Ramen was so so good. The spices did not over power the flavor of the garlic pork broth that we had at all. The Softshell Crab Ramen was another good one that I would go back for. The service was very attentive and great to see servers that smiles when they are talking to you. Overall very very good read more

Santa Ramen - The Dynamite - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

I loooove Santa Ramen. I was looking for spicy and hearty, and I had the Dynamite Ramen with Garlic Pork broth. It sure hit the spot!!! The spice was exactly what I looking for -- flavorful, well-integrated, and has a satisfying kick. Sometimes spicy ramen is just a disappointing chili oil weakly dripped on top, but this was super satisfying. I came alone 5 min before opening time on a Saturday Night and I was seated and served within 12 min. The staff is super friendly. It's a comfortable family restaurant vibe with a homey and Japanese inspired aesthetic. The restroom is clean too (which matters to me a lot). Santa Ramen stays in my Top 5 Ramen places of all time for consistent deliciousness! read more

Santa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I hadn't been to Santa Ramen in years. Partially because it's so far out of the way. Partially because when we've been near, we didn't have time to wait for a table. Today, my mom and I were close, and it was just after opening so we thought we might be able to get in relatively quickly. Well, we got in anyway. The restaurant was full and there were two tables ahead of us. We had to wait about ten minutes and were then seated at a two-top. The menu is small so the ordering process is simple. I placed the order for us. Two bowls of Santa Ramen with Yokohama Soup (blend of Pork & Miso). One order of Deep Fried Oysters. A very simple lunch. Service was very efficient. There only appeared to be two servers working the dining room. Watching them work was like watching a well synchronized dance. No motions were wasted. Every time they delivered an order to a table, on the return, they took something back to the kitchen, whether it be a new order or dishes cleared from a table. Deep Fried Oysters - 5 - The Oysters are small, but they were beautifully battered and fried. They were accompanied by a small salad, a smudge of hot mustard, lemon wedge and dipping sauce. Santa Ramen - 5 - A small, simple bowl of ramen with all the necessary parts. One thick slice of the most delectable pork, 1/2 a boiled egg, oh, just look at the menu. Then go order yourself a bowl and enjoy life! read more

See all

I've been coming here since I was in high school, but without bias, this place is very very good. The ambiance is very cozy, in its smaller setting. There usually will be a wait at the door. (I would suggest grabbing a newspaper out front.) They do have a waiting area in front which helps while people finish their meals. We typically order the pork tonkotsu ramen. The pork slices, the broth, and the noodle firmness are some of the reasons we keep coming back! We prefer the saltiness and the toppings provided. We will be back, time and time again! read more

With many ramen places aiming for Tonkotsu, we come here for Shoyu broth ramen, which is the kind I grew up with back in 60's in Osaka. Great ramen, and we come here often. Noodles have nice texture and also are wavy type which attract more broth. Message from Manabu to Staff: It has been 3rd or 4th time we got appetizers LAST. It ruins the customer experience. Train people so that they need to put the appetizer orders first on the ticket and work on timing the kitchen. Also drinks often come when the ramen is served, again, it's a sequencing thing. Please work on it, then this place is perfect! 5* when I update next. read more

Every dish was very good. DH really liked the chicken teriyaki bento. Service is still the weak point. Seems like they forgot our order. People who ordered after us were served long before us. DH finally complained. read more

See all

Had lunch here yesterday. In years past I would be booted out from the car to go stand in line when they opened. Sadly, not the case now. I really did pull up ready to foot boot my passenger to stand in line. There wasn't one. I comfortably parked and we walked into an empty restaurant. I'm pretty sure that the influx of Ramen eateries in the vicinity have taken away patrons. I stand firmly in stating that our experience was extraordinary. Our server was friendly and welcoming. Our soup was delicious and still on point!! I personally don't eat noodles for health reasons, but, was completely satisfied with all of my toppings and spooned the soup bowl dry. Thank you! read more

Santa Ramen - Pork black garlic broth. After digging in. - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

I was in the mood for ramen and saw that Santa Ramen has a spicy ramen called Dynamite. I knew I had to check it out and let me say that I was NOT disappointed. It definitely has a kick. Once you get through the spice, you can taste the savory broth with the perfectly roasted pork and noodz. Not only was the food tasty, the service was great too! Super friendly and quick service. With an abundance of ramen joints to choose from in San Mateo, Santa Ramen is pretty decent and is located outside of the downtown area so you don't have to look for or pay for parking. read more

Santa Ramen - Takoyaki Appetizer - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

It's been a really long time we visited Santa Ramen. Went there with hubby last Friday around 1pm. There was a short line waiting for the table. We waited about 10 mins before we were seated. After we placed our order, we have to wait another 30 mins before we got our ramen. It is obvious they prepare their ramen one bowl at a time. We both enjoyed our ramen. But, Ramen Dojo remains my number 1 ramen joint. read more

Santa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Santa Ramen was my staple ramen shop growing up. Our family would visit almost every other week when they were in their first location in that tiny corner shop and we'd wait patiently for over 30 minutes every time just to eat their noodles. Over the years, Santa has truly been through a lot of evolution and made major tweaks to their menu. Their base is always the same: soy sauce, garlic, or miso. However, the toppings and taste of the ramen has reached it's highest of highs and also a pretty big low just a few years ago, which is when I stopped coming (in addition to COVID of course). But I finally made my way back after hearing they really upgraded their menu options in recent times. We stopped by about a half hour before closing on a Sunday and were seated immediately. The shop looked the same and there were a few tables still occupied along with a couple seats at the bar. The menu is much more extensive than I remembered and I was excited to see some fun additions. I ended up going for my usual miso base and picked the soft shell crab ramen. We also ordered some kaarage (which you can pick how many pieces you want) for the table along with the cold tofu appetizer. Our food came out within minutes, with the kaarage and ramen piping hot. I will say, this new and improved style of Santa really impressed me. The ramen was delicious and the soft shell crab was definitely the star of the show. It was so crispy and juicy and paired so well with the broth. The ramen noodles itself were chewy yet firm. I only wished the portions were bigger and that they added more of the various toppings. The tofu and kaarage were both really great pairings to the meal and I definitely left more than satisfied after polishing off everything on my plate. I am so happy they found their rhythm again after my last visit several years ago (think ground chicken and a fat wad of boiled spinach as your main toppings in ramen....). This experience was so much better and the food tasted really good. It reminded me of their glory days almost 2 decades ago and I am here for it! read more

Santa Ramen - Soft shell crab miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

This was one of the most disappointing ramen experiences I've had, and I will not be returning. First, when asked about spiciness, the waitress told us that all levels of "spicy" use the same table chili powder, not an in-house chili oil or paste. That alone shows a fundamental lack of understanding of ramen. Spiciness is supposed to be integrated into the soup base, not sprinkled on afterward like fast food seasoning. The ramen eggs were a complete failure. Fully hard-boiled, dry, and flavorless -- totally unacceptable for any ramen shop. This is basic technique, not a preference issue. We ordered three pork belly ramen with tonkotsu base and one soft-shell crab + grilled pork ramen with soy/Tokyo-style base. The menu tries to do too much, and the kitchen clearly cannot execute it properly. The soft-shell crab was undercooked, which is not only poor quality but also concerning from a food safety standpoint. A ramen shop that cannot consistently fry soft-shell crab should not be offering it at all. The noodles tasted like commercial wholesale ramen, with no customization to the soup -- they softened quickly and lacked proper bite and soup adhesion. Overall, this feels like a restaurant using the appearance of ramen while ignoring its fundamentals. Heavy toppings and oil cannot compensate for poor technique and lack of attention to detail. I will not return, and I would not recommend this place to anyone who actually understands or appreciates ramen. Shame on this Ramen restaurant read more

See all

Good local ramen place. It got pretty busy at lunchtime. I had the pork Santa ramen everything was fresh and tasty. Large portions of meat. I would definitely go back. read more

Santa Ramen - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

Quick take: Don't order chicken teriyaki bento I was shopping at Nijiya and the kids wanted ramen. I wasn't in the mood for ramen so I veered off course and ordered the teriyaki chicken bento. I recommend sticking with the ramen if you end up here. Kiddos liked the Tonkatsu ramen (no spicy) ramen bowls. They also have a vegetarian option. read more

Santa Ramen - Chicken teriyaki bento - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California

See all

The ramen was delicious and so fresh. We also got the Japanese fried chicken for the appetizer which was delicious. Service was great & super fast! And they were even pretty busy on a Sunday evening & managed to get our food out quickly. The decor was cute I loved the artwork they had on the walls. read more

really solid ramen place in san mateo! vibes are super casual here. both dishes which i tried were both very good. in my opinion, the broths were both a bit salty, and the pork could have been softer/more melt-in-your-mouth. but the soft shell crab was very tasty and unique! the aji tamago i got in addition to the santa ramen was perfectly prepared, delightfully gooey inside. service was very friendly. would recommend and come back to try some bento boxes too! read more

Food was delicious. Service was ok. I gave 2 stars because what I actual order didn't came out. They gave me something else without telling me. I paid for it too read more

Came in during the lunch hour and there was steady traffic the entire time. Staff was quick to accommodate and did not ignore any of us clients. 2 people working the dining area and they were both on it! So much so that before finishing, they were already dropping off the checks before we could ask for it. Spacious and clean restaurant, indoor seating only. For my meal, I ordered the Santa Ramen (house option) Yokohama style soup base (pork and miso). The base was creamy, I asked for medium spicy and there wasn't really a kick like other ramen spots typically have. The grilled pork was good, small portion like the rest of the toppings. I wasn't too impressed with my specific dish but I would recommend this place if you're in the area and craving something warm. Menu was small but definitely would be willing to try more plates. 3.5 stars for me for my first visit. read more

Santa Ramen - Santa Ramen (house option) - Ramen Near Me - San Mateo, California