After much anticipation, Sobo Ramen finally opened in Berkeley. I can eat soup noodles of all varities regardles of season so I was happy to see another ramen shop open in Downtown Berkeley. When you walk in, you step into a vast, open concept restaurant where you can fully see into the entire kitchen and feel how everything connects into the space where you dine. The decor is mellow, warm and inviting. It's great for an intimate meal, groups and everything in between. I immediately notice that each table had a tiny sake bottle holding a mouthful of freshly picked wildflowers sitting on top. It spoke to my heart as I love reusing cool bottles just for the same purpose. My bf and I were greeted warmly and walked to our table. We arrived knowing what we wanted so we ordered straight away. My bf ordered the Pork Belly Tonkotsu and I had the Vegan Spicy Miso with tofu done 3 ways. My bf really enjoyed his ramen and said the meat was tender and flavorful, the broth "just right". My vegan ramen was pretty standard overall. I didn't find the broth to be very complex (it was solidly "miso") but I appreciated the texture of the noodles (they were absolutely perfect!) and the 3 types of tofu offered great variety- soft plain tofu, abura tofu (fried bean curd), and stewed bean curd. There were several distinct textures of tofu to savor: soft, crispy & creamy, firm. The owner, Stella, was on the floor as we headed up to pay for our meal. She was so kind to gift me an empty sake bottle after I complimented on the table decor. We learned about the painstaking patience required to open this location in Berekely and how passionate she and her staff are about the food they bring to the community. In their Oakland location, they used to host midnight ramen and community events which really bring people together and connect them with the food they enjoy. This was such a cool visit and we hope to come back again to try their Matcha Coconut Yuzu Ramen! read more

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OMG it took forever to get our food even though it wasn't busy. It was just Ramen too... Not sure what was going on but other people seemed to get much faster than us. It wasn't busy and took about 40mins after ordering. Once it arrived it was ok but the pork was very tough (except the strip of fat) and was pretty simple... like some pickled onions, bok choy, some scallion/ garlic stuff.... Even though the description doesn't lead you to think a lot is going on (Slow-simmered pork broth, thick-cut pork belly, scallions), generally isn't there some extra stuff going on or option to add stuff? Bean sprouts, mini corn, bamboo? Even the egg is $2 extra. But that was all that was optional. Was just a bit boring. Host and server were nice. Watching the kitchen staff move in slow motion was a little frustrating when was getting hangry from waiting so long and then it was a bit disappointing as well. read more

Sobo Ramen - Simple ramen with tough pork belly. - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

Outstanding Ramen and Service. Stella, one of the owners, makes sure you have a memorable experience at her restaurant. They recently changed their format and made it a sit down with table service. It was an order yourself at the counter type restaurant prior with selections of appetizers out for self service. I found That type of ordering OK but prefer sit down and table service much better. This change Tells you how much Stella's customers mean to her and her son Kenny coe-owner. They listened and made the change. She and Kenny are always striving to bring their diners new and fun dining experiences and new food flavor profiles. They want their diners to come to Sobo Ramen for amazing food, drinks and community. Sobo Ramen is extremely clean, ample seating that is not crowded. Prices are reasonable And selection is good. Lots of Saki to choose from and a full bar to come. Parking is challenging but not impossible. Give Sobo Ramen a try you won't be disappointed. Also there is a cotton candy Machine that's fun and entertaining to use. Who knew there were so how many Choices. Bravo Stella and Kenny See you soon You can also watch as your Ramen is being crafted. read more

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Even though the weather is hot, there's nothing like a good noodle/ramen meal to end the night! Came in on a Saturday close to closing and the staff was welcoming and attentive. There was some confusion with food we did not order being brought to us, so not sure what was going on. Ordered some soju, chicken thighs, and Mazemen with katsu side (wanted noodles but not the broth). Everything was delicious and more than enough as a serving. Small katsu came out late as I was halfway done with my mazemen. read more

Sobo Ramen - Momo chicken thighs - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Brief Summary: - Really cool interior - Close to Trader Joe's - Food impression: ramen with volume - Medium thickness noodles We entered around early evening, the start time for dinner. There are two doorways, but the one that is open is the one away from the University Ave street. Turning the corner, the staff welcomed us, asked how many there are, and they loosely let us choose the seats because the seats were not filled at the time. We chose the corner seat, where it's half chair and the wall side is a booth. There are many ramen shops that popped up in Berkeley, and I think this one is on the heavier group, where the pork is thicker and it covers half of the ramen bowl surface. When we chose our seats, the staff gave us a good stack of different menus: the general menu, the special seasonal edition menu, and the drinks. For this time, since it was my first visit, I decided to go for the general menu. We chose the spicy mayu and the pork belly tonkotsu. Whether it was because the restaurant just opened or this is the characteristic of the restaurant, but it felt like it took some time for the orders to arrive; I guessing around ten to fifteen minutes of waiting. Luckily, we chatted and time flew enough that we still had topics to talk about before our dishes arrived at the same time. The noodles have medium thickness, which is my favored thickness. I also liked that in this ramen bowl, the pork was sliced thinly, so I can focus on the noodle and soup more. The soup is rich but after the sip it leaves a clean finish. This soup amplified in goodness when I broke the egg in half and the semi-cooked ajitama mixed into the broth. While I love bok choy, chewing the whole bok choy vegetable took some physical tearing of pulling at with the teeth and hand. It would be nice if these were cut into bite sized pieces or split by each leaf. read more

Sobo Ramen - Spicy mayu (opted for not spicy) - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've tried the Oakland location years ago and was so excited to visit the downtown Berkeley Sobo Ramen location. The space is huge with plenty of tables throughout. Our waitress was very attentive and kept our waters filled. We got two tempura dishes, the miso ramen, and the mazemen. The pork belly in the miso ramen was a very generous & thick cut that was literally melt-in-your-mouth. I loved all of the pickled vegetables in the mazemen, which gave the dish great color, acidity, and crunch. Hoping they'll make the dipping ramen when summer starts! read more

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Great service, very attentive and good menu recommendations. The place was chill and easy to get a table when we came in on a weeknight. We got the first recommended special and it did not disappoint. The portions were generous too! read more

Sobo Ramen - Chicken katsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

Delicious ramen! Really love how fresh everything is. We tried the curry broth ramen and also the maya ramen. The noodles are freshly made, the bok choy was crisp and the katsu was really well done. Liked how you just grab all the extra side items as add ons. We got a plate of skewers (took the picture after 2 were eaten), some vegetable tempura, sesame balls, and rice balls and everything was very fresh. The Thai tea is really good too. Great service from all the staff. Has a very cool vibe inside with the murals and comfy chairs. My son loved the cotton candy machine too- what a treat! Totally recommend eating here. read more

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Decided to try it out after walking by many times. Was left underwhelmed and disappointed. Same song on repeat the whole time. Bad service. Small portions. Full on plastic green house. read more

Came in here on a random Thursday after work. There was only one server but she was very efficient and very kind. Place was a bit empty but as I was leaving over 8 people were coming in so I just came at an awkward time. Inside is absolutely gorgeous. So much seating for individuals, small groups, duos, and even large groups! I got the Spicy Miso Vegetarian Ramen Noodles with non-vegan noodles. It was absolutely delicious!! The broth was clearly very clean and healthy and it was very comforting. Only thing I think can be improved were the tofu pieces which may need their own marinating process or cooking process to give them more flavor... but i ate them with a spoonful of broth and it tasted great so maybe it's not a problem haha. would totally recommend and will for sure be coming back with more people. read more

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Pleasantly surprised by the carefully balanced bowl of broth less noodles. The delightfully chewy noodles were paired with a spicy mala pork, but mellowed by the pickled vegetables. The egg yolk made it so luxurious! This bowl was the standout for me even though the classic tonkatsu was delicious too. We were spoiled by conversation with Ken and some carefully curated cocktails. Don't sleep on this underrated gem. We will definitely make the long drive to visit again as soon as possible. read more

Sobo Ramen - Dining area - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The atmosphere was stylish and nice. The ramen was decent, and the service was neither particularly good nor bad. read more

Sobo Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ah yes, I remember Sobo Ramen from its Oakland Chinatown location, but it's been over a decade since I had a rather disappointing bowl of lobster ramen there (review: https://yelp.to/DDQfIxcv2U). I don't hold grudges (much), so I noticed they opened a second location fairly recently on University at Milvia in Berkeley. Jamie W and I were on our way to catch Laura Benanti at Berkeley Rep. It was a 2PM matinee, so we had about an hour to order and eat. Gratefully it wasn't busy here. I was surprised they set themselves up like Marugame Udon where you order your main dish almost right away at the counter and then pick and choose various readymade sides like tempura and yakitori under heat lamps in a buffet-like setting. I don't really mind the concept, though I tend to worry that tempura wilts pretty quickly once out of the fryer. Luckily this wasn't as much the case here. Jamie kept it simple and stuck with the buffet items: the $2.20 Shrimp Tempura, the $2.20 skewer of Chicken Thigh Yakitori, the $2.20 Sesame Soy Sauce Rice Ball, and the $3.00 Seaweed Salad (Photo 9). He proclaimed his order as pretty good. Even though I was tempted by the unique Matcha Coconut Ramen, I ordered the $16.78 Mazemen, my first time trying brothless ramen...yes, I know I'm late to the game, but I thought I should finally give it a try. I liked the mix of housemade wide chili noodles, ground pork, Szechuan spice, peanuts, pickled vegetables (red onion, cabbage, cucumbers), and a raw egg yolk that brought it all together (Photo 10). I hardly missed the broth. I also went for the $4.60 boat of Veggie Tempura (broccoli floret, onion rings, yam slice) to get different textures (Photo 8). Overall it was a reasonably tasty experience, and we may come back for one of their ramen bowls yet. FOOD - 4 stars...better-than-expected tempura and the mazemen was a nice change AMBIANCE - 4 stars...pretty spacious SERVICE - 3.5 stars...fairly attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...always good to have another noodle option RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places l've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/ARb9hLYSFi read more

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Let's get lunch! We first put in our noodle orders from the menu, then walked through the little stations to check out the extra bites before sitting down in their pretty and spacious seating. They actually have a matcha ramen available, but I already had my matcha fill that day so we stuck with a classic tonkotsu ramen and a saucy flat noodle dish. Both had a nice spice with super filling portions, making this a great stop for a cozy meal in the Berkeley area. Service was pretty fast and very friendly. read more

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Came on a Saturday. The service was quick. You pop in, look at menu by the door, pick up a try, grab appetizers as you go through the line to pay, pay for the food at cashier, get a seat, and they deliver your ramen to you at the table. The appetizers were cold. The best one we had was the bacon wrapped quail egg. Would've been better if it was fresh or still hot/warm. Got the black garlic ramen and it was ok... Black ramen had Sichuan pepper corns and the broth was not thick, flavorful with garlic if you like that. Noodles were too soft, prefer al dente. There was a bar as well and for 2 beers. Bathrooms and restaurant was clean. read more

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Great service and ambiance. Modern decor with a warm feel and soft lighting. Excellent service! But the real star of the show is the ramen, of course. Generous portions of wonderfully rich flavor and texture. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but beware. Spicy means SPICY. read more

Sobo Ramen - Tonkotsu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Upon walking inside, you're greeted by a familiar line up area with the menu above, where you place your order and choose any of the options of tempura along with your ramen. If you're dining in, the ramen will be brought to your table as it's made to order. Unlike Marugame, you'll have to wait to get your noodles -- but don't let that deter you! The wait time was approximately 10-15min which isn't horrible if you're not on a time crunch / with friends or family! There is plenty of seating as this is a family friendly restaurant, a little more upscale than your average ramen shop though. I liked that they provided a sauce bar -- however, the labels for each sauce were smudging and one of them didn't have a label. Not a huge issue though. Onto the ramen: I can't quite remember what my cousins got, but they all agreed they loved their ramens and would come back! The Katsu was not dry at all, perfectly crispy and juicy. The pork was also juicy and tender, not lacking in flavor. The mazemen is what drew me to want to try Sobo Ramen. It markets to be numbing, spicy, bright acidity from the pickled onions and to have a slick kick of chili. I felt that the flavors were pretty mild compared to those of the soup ramen. I did make sure to mix the sauce until it coated each noodle, but the flavors didn't come through as strong as I had hoped. I wish it was more numbing and that the spice came through, hopefully next time I come by it will be better! Service is fine, you don't really interact with anyone beyond ordering your meal and getting the food at your table, so not much to speak on there. The environment is beautiful and well decorated, restrooms are very interesting -- many toilets and a shared handwashing sink to the far left outside the restrooms. read more

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I had high hopes for this place! We saw tsukemen on display and went in to try it but they didn't have it on the menu. Despite the disappointment, we still ate here. There was a marugame concept for ordering. I got the mayu, it was rich and smokey. Satisfying amount of food! The soft boiled egg was way too salty though, I couldn't eat the second half. I really liked that they used thin noodles! For the tempura, I took a bite of the broccoli and got a mouthful of raw batter. They did not cook it long enough which created a super unpleasant experience. The server was nice and gave us another plate of tempura at no extra charge. Though it is under a heater, the tempura was room temperature at best. The shrimp and enoki tempura were good but would've been better if it was actually hot/warmer. The glazed pork belly ramen was alright. The pork belly was a little too sweet for our liking. read more

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Amazing ramen spot in the middle of Berkeley. I'm visiting from out of state seeing family and friends. A buddy of mine wanted to meet up for food, so we choose ramen. This place has a great relaxing atmosphere, it's like "cafeteria style" where you order and sit down. The ramen was excellent, great balance of flavors in the broth. They also had different flavors you normally don't find at a traditional ramen place. Again, great place to meet up with friends sit down and chill. Staff was extra friendly and courteous as well. read more

New Ramen shop in downtown Berkeley. We came when it just opened on Saturday morning. The restaurant is nice with high ceiling , clean and high table and chair, regular table. it is kind like open kitchen concept when you can see the chef preparing the order. The menu is on the TV screen. your order your ramen and they will give you a tray. they have side dishes like seaweed, edamame, egg, skewer, and tempura. I can say the ramen price is cheaper compare to most of ramen shop. They have few ramen flavor, tsukemen and Matcha Coconut Ramen which I am not sure if I would like to try. We ordered Mayu Black Garlic Ramen (Spicy), Shokupan Katsu, tempura and skewers. You pay at the cashier after you order. The Mayu Black Garlic ramen is good but I think it need more Garlic flavor. The noodle is interesting ad this is the first time I have the ramen noodle with this texture. it is a bit lit soft spaghetti. The Shokupan ramen is ok. I think it need more curry flavor. The Katsu is yummy. The tempura and skewer are ok. The service is ok. To be honest they are not really friendly especially the chef. She walked around without greeting. When we left there is no greeting like usually you find at Ramen restaurant. For now it is kind of 3.5 star for me. The restroom is clean and the hand washing area is unique. Parking is on the street. read more

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Such a comfortable interior space, great ramen + sauces options, and friendly staff team! Got to try the XXL chicken katsu with curry ramen and fried enoki on the side. The fried chicken was crispy and juicy, didn't taste too oily. They also made their own chimichurri sauce was went really well with the chicken. Will be back soon to try the other ramens! read more

Sobo Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Good counter ramen spot with a really cute interior. The ramen was good with a nice spice to it and the menu had interesting options! I kept it basic with their house ramen but they had vegan options and other great modifications. Food definitely took a bit but we were there on a busy day! read more

Sobo Ramen - Black garlic ramen with spice - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great place for ramen before a performance at Berkeley Rep. The black garlic flavored broth was delicious and the noodles delicate, but still with proper bite. The egg was nicely jammy. The menu looks interesting enough for a return visit. read more

The good: Nice looking dining room and bathrooms! Restaurant staff were attentive. The so-so: Ordered the Shokupan Katsu Curry Ramen, but it sadly fell flat. The broth didn't taste like curry or coconut, lacked the umami flavor one would expect in a ramen *or* curry. And the chicken katsu tasted oily, as if it were fryer wasn't at full temp. It didn't taste over-salty, so that's good. Might try Sobo Ramen again with another dish... read more

Sobo Ramen - Shokupan Katsu Curry Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

We ordered lunch from Sobo Ramen, this review is based on a delivery order. The ramen noodles, vegetables and egg, meats etc were packages separately from the broth which kept the food fresh. Once we received the food we poured the broth into the bowls and the ramen was delicious. I had the vegetarian spicy miso ramen. I will definitely order from this spot again and look forward to visiting their dining room when I'm in the area! read more

Sobo Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We swung by 45 minutes before closing and it did not disappoint. Great food, amazing service, and dishes came out in timely manner. Also, the environment was fantastic...such a fun and bright looking eating area. They even threw in some gyoza on the house! We will definitely be coming back. read more

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Food was great and had interesting vegan and specialty dishes. I really enjoyed the soup less ramen. Staff was friendly and helpful. Owners seemed to really care about the food reaction and experience. Very nice interior and layout for soft opening. More portions and bar section next door are set to open at a later date. Good food and alcohol always makes me happy. read more

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This place is perfect for a date night! Once you walk in you see the beautiful decorations and amazing lighting! I love the vibes and how each table had flowers and candles! The owners and staff are super nice and the food is even better! Each meal we had was so tender and flavorful! They also have exotic beer and saki! We had a great experience and highly recommend! read more

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Large space with plenty of seating. Great for grabbing lunch or dinner with a group of coworkers. Counter service ordering with a cafeteria style. Staff were welcoming and pleasant. I went during their soft opening so they didn't have the full menu yet. The fried mushrooms were delicious. The black garlic ramen had good flavor, but was a little oily for my preference. read more

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If i can give negative stars i would!!!!. spicy Mayu rawmen is super salty. The service is poor they don't provide enough information when i had asked the tall young lady. The Spicy miso is great. just needs some adjustments. My bowl was dirty from the side . it was very sticky from the sides. The plate where i put my pork belly skewers were also dirty. Overall i don't recommend this place at all it's also very expensive! I also find hard to believe that just for the green beans and the seaweed are nearly 6$!!!! (Lower your prices). read more

Sobo Ramen - Mayu rawmen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really liked my ramen, good flavor good amount of toppings (compared to some other places). Because it was my first time I was able to try a skewer combo free of charge with my meal. Together I think this is pretty good value for ~$15. I liked the thigh the most followed by the minced chicken and then the skin skewer. I was expecting the chicken skin skewer to be dried crispy skin but it was instead much more soft and meaty which was fine but somewhat surprising. I got the black garlic ramen and had it spicy which I appreciated was an option without having to pay extra. Maybe the people complaining about flavor should have gone this route because I thought the broth was quite pleasant and unlike some other places I've been wasn't too salty so I could finish the whole thing without leaving any broth behind. My friend got the matcha ramen which she liked but said could have been more matcha forward. To be fair she loves the flavor of matcha (drinking it almost every day) so her preferences might be for a more intense flavor profile than the average person. read more

Sobo Ramen - Chicken skewer combo + spicy mayu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ordered the Mayu for lunch. Soup was tasty, soft boiled egg and bok choy was perfectly cooked, but the slice of meat had mostly fat. See attached photo. Service was fast on a Wednesday at around noon. read more

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Before a show at the Berkeley rep, I thought I would stop by and have a bite to eat at Sobo Ramen... I was by myself so they set me at a counter, which was fine. And then I waited, and I waited and I waited, and nobody came to me...So after 10 minutes, I got up and left. This is the first time I have ever done that in my life. read more

If you want to go to a hip place with your friends or family and need to bring your kids along, this is a surprisingly great option because (1) you can order and get appetizers right away from the set up while you wait for them to prepare your ramen (2) our kids loved the chicken katzu and noodles from the non-spicy ramen options and (3) there is a freaking COTTON CANDY machine that are kids were about 10 out of 10 happy about. Also, as I am sure you know, the food is stellar, really top notch, like you leave thinking that you just had a really good and elegant meal even though it was affordable-- and on top of that somehow you brought your kids and you all still had fun. It's really a great place. read more

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I got the spicy miso Ramen. I found it to be tasty but a lot spicier than I expected. When I bit into one of the fried tofu pieces, it was cold in the middle and warm on the outside. The rest of the soup was good. Service was good and the bathroom was nice. When you walk in and order there's also some additional side pieces of food you can add to your tray like tempura, etc. One thing that surprised me is they did not have hot tea. I've never been to a Ramen place that didn't have tea. read more

Sobo Ramen - Spicy miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California

Love their Oakland spot and was super excited to try this new location! Came here with the family for their soft opening and we loved how everything is set up. Ordering was super easy and love that we can pick our own add ons. We tried the black garlic and the one with the pork belly. Great portion size and was delicious! Will definitely be back to try their other flavors. Bonus points that the owner walked around to check on things. Felt appreciated and can see their dedication to their customers. read more

My wife and I visited Sobo Ramen this past Saturday. I got the vege spicy ramen and my wife got the glazed pork belly. Both items were delicious. We also got the Bloody Mary. Usually not a Bloody Mary person, but this was lighter and refreshing. A must try!!! read more

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I usually go to the Oakland location, but tried the Berkeley branch for the first time. The vibe here is more casual, and they have a self-serve appetizer station, which was fun. The staff was helpful. The grilled chicken skin was a clear winner crispy and flavorful. The ramen was mild and easy to eat, perfect if you prefer something lighter. Prices are reasonable, and it's a relaxed spot for a quick ramen fix. read more

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My family and I visit Sobo Ramen during their soft opening. I love the decor and open concept of the restaurant, you can tell a lot of thought has been put into this restaurant. We ordered three different ramens, Mayu Black Garlic, Mazemen, and the XXL Chicken Katsu Curry, everything was delicious! Hope to be back soon and glad to see this restaurant added to the Berkeley food scene! read more

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ambiance: we went during soft opening so very clean, the thing that's weird is after you order your ramen you just stand there waiting for it to come out. so i can imagine when it's busy there must be a line going down the street if everyone has to stand there waiting for the ramen before you can pay and bring it to the table. Service: the girl who worked was very friendly and explained everything she mentioned that we can also choose our "TOPPINGS"..... they were skewers. other than that there's not rly any service. Food: the pork belly sauce was the only thing that was seasoned in my opinion, the broth unfortunately very bland EVEN IF YOU COOK IT FOR 17 HOURS (if you don't add seasoning what's the point of cooking it for that long). there's a self serve station for water and sauces but unfortunately didn't offer any salt. there's skewers were under a hot lamp and after removing and checking out and grabbing some water it was already cold. mind you we went right when they opened at 5 pm. overall needs improvement. additionally: i read how management is replying to the bad reviews "Constructive criticism is always appreciated -- it helps us grow. But personal opinions, when shared publicly, can have a real impact on small businesses" YELP REQUIRES IT TO BE PERSONAL OPINIONS! you can report reviews if the review IS NOT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE! restaurant business is customer business, everyone is going to have personal opinions and different expectations. it sounds petty if you can't take criticism. and i read the review they were replying it, it was just straight up his personal experience. you're upset his experience wasn't the way you wanted it to be? solely off how management reacts i can't recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

Sobo Ramen - chicken skewer - Ramen Near Me - Berkeley, California