Joanne
I’m now sick. Baby is getting over being sick. And I just want a good bowl of Ramen to make it all better!
Believe it or not, I had never eaten at a Japanese Ramen restaurant until I met my husband. As the years have gone by, he has gotten me to love & appreciate that special bowl of noodles, broth & extra goodies 🙂
And before I move any further…
Yes, I am a health & fitness professional.
Yes, I love to eat real food.
Yes, I eat in moderation.
Yes, I enjoy eating, therefore I exercise.
OK…moving on.
Below is our list of Favorite Ramen Restaurants according to my husband & I. You can agree, disagree or get hungry. (Note: We do not think we’re food critics at all. We just love to eat good food and we still have more Ramen places to try. And yes, these are all our personal photos. :)) Enjoy!
Favorite Spicy Ramen: Ramen Dojo | San Mateo, CA
- What to get? Anything with your pick of spice level! Also, Chicken Karaage is great here too!
- TIP: Get in line early! This place is very popular in the Peninsula & best to get in line right before they open for lunch or dinner.
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Not really. Small space and not good for kids to be waiting outside especially on cold nights.
Favorite Curry Ramen: Hanabi Ramen & Japanese Curry | Burlingame, CA
- What to get? Curry Katsu Ramen or anything with the Curry. (They also say they use high quality filtered water as well as no MSG. SCORE!)
- TIP: Come here hungry! Portions are good and they have so many other options to get that you’ll want to try them all!
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Yes! We were able to take Dahlia here without the stroller and just the car seat as they have bench seating.
Favorite ‘Long Wait but Worth the Wait’ Ramen: Rokurinsha | Tokyo, Japan
- What to get? Tsukumen Ramen
- TIP: Follow the crowds! This restaurant is located in Tokyo Station’s Ramen Street & is a bit hard to find. Signs are in Japanese so look for the sign shown above or make friends and just ask 🙂
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: I think so. This is an indoor location, but again, wait is long.
Favorite ‘Tropical Weather’ Ramen: Goma Tei | Honolulu, HI
- What to get? Tan Tan (Spicy) Ramen
- TIP: Bonus points for being inside Ala Moana mall, where you can conveniently walk-off your meal with some shopping or better yet head over to the enormous food court or Japanese supermarket nearby and indulge in your pick of dessert.
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Yes! This is their newer location which is a lot more spacious and has more tables than their previous location.
Favorite ‘Ambiance’ Ramen: Ippudo NY | New York
- What to get? Akamaru Modern Ramen and Hirata Buns (Pork Belly)
- TIP: Be prepared for a bit of a wait to get seated in the ultra-swanky modern ramen joint, especially near dinner time. Wait can be as much as 1-2 hours. If you get hungry though, just head over to their bar and order some of their Pork Buns while you wait.
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Sort of, the seating area in the back is actually quite spacious for little ones, if you can make it there. On the contrary, the entrance and front bar area space is tight and often packed with people. (East Village location)
Favorite Ramen with Side Dishes: Santouka | San Jose & LA, CA
- What to get? Any Ramen of your choice, but be sure to get their accompanying side bowl of Pork over rice.
- TIP: This place is located inside the Mitsuwa Marketplace (Japanese grocery store), so a great place to do a little pre- or post-meal shopping. Also, if you like Mochi desserts, this is the place.
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Yes, absolutely. Cafeteria style/casual dining experience & plenty space for your kiddos to run around!
Favorite Noodles: Ivan Ramen | New York
- What to get? Roasted Garlic Mazemen Ramen, but really anything. The noodles are sooooo amazing here, unlike anything we’ve ever tried. You know there’s a lot of love put into them, so much you can taste it!
- TIP: 2 words…Breath mints. Garlic lovers rejoice in the healthy dose of Garlic served up in each bowl, it can pack quite a punch.
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Yes, another Cafeteria style/casual dining experience with a modern food court feel. You can spend hours here and even indulge in the wine bar across the way, ahem, parents.
Favorite Food Truck Ramen: Lei Feng Food Truck | San Francisco, CA
- What to get? Shoyu Ramen and add the egg, cooked perfectly!
- TIP: Check here http://somastreatfoodpark.com/ for availability as finding them sometimes is a challenge.
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: Yes, and the only outdoor venue on this list & the only PET-FRIENDLY venue as well!
Favorite Overall Ramen Experience: Tetsu Ramen | Tokyo, Japan
- What to get? Tsukemen Ramen
- TIP: The only place we know of that offers you a scalding hot stone at the end of your meal as a means to reheat your broth, pretty cool. Also, you’ll be ordering from a vending machine, so make sure you make nice with the people around you to order the right thing. This place makes for a truly unique ramen experience you wont forget!
- Baby/Kid-Friendly: not really, this is more of your traditional Japan style Ramen joint, cramped and narrow with mostly bar stool seating.
Other great baby-friendly approved ramen restaurants we recommend & have tried:
Saiwaii Ramen | San Francisco, CA
Santa Ramen | San Mateo, CA
Ramen Izakaya Kagura | San Mateo, Ca
Star Noodle | Maui, HI
Tanpopo | Japantown | San Francisco, CA
Waraku Ramen Izakaya | Japantown | San Francisco, CA
Other notable Ramen joints we like:
Daikokuya | Little Tokyo | Los Angeles, CA
Katana-Ya | San Francisco, CA
Tajima | San Diego, CA
Ramen Restaurants still on our “To do” list:
Places we keep hearing great things about, but yet to try!
Ramen Shop | Oakland, CA
Monta Ramen | Las Vegas, NV
Orenchi Ramen | San Jose, CA
The Ramen Bar | San Francisco, CA
Ramen Champ | Los Angeles, CA
So tell me, what’s your favorite? and what can you add on our “To Do” List?
