Ramen Club
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
146 Reviews for Ramen Club
One of Ramen Club's Favorite Reviews
Awesome lunch specials!
Friend first introduced me to this place probably a year ago and I've been hooked on their lunch specials, especially the chicken karaage lunch bento. For $6.95, I get a bowl of ramen, and a bento box with very generous portions of chicken karaage and a few other small sides which are all good in general.
I'm basing my review only during lunches cause that's when I only come for those lunch specials. The service is real good here as well. Very attentive and quick on service.
Sushi is so-so though....don't come here for that, come for the ramen and bentos
Good value, good food, good variety: Ramen club doesn't just serve Ramen. But you won't be disappointed if you do order the ramen. It's actually pretty good! Try out any of their appetizers or their daily specials on the whiteboard. They used to make a very good Kalbi (Korean short ribs) dinner, but lately, the quality of the meat has gone downhill. They stay open till 10:00.
Okay, it's better than Santa Ramen but still crap. Someday someone will open a place that actually serves delicious ramen like in Japan and people will get what truely great ramen tastes like but until then, Ramen Club is NOT it.
Details. Well, a ramen place shouldn't have a giant variety of mediocre food. It should instead just have great ramen. The noodles were better than average but the soup was bland. Their Buta-no-kakuni (stewed pork) tasted okay even if it looked gross. Their menu listed Hawiian "poki". It's "poke" not "poki" and their poke was nothing like Hawaiian poke. Then again, like it says above, they should concentrate on getting the ramen right.
The first rule of Ramen Club is... you do not talk about Ramen Club.
The second rule of Ramen Club is... you do not talk about Ramen Club.
Third rule of Ramen Club, someone yells "Stop!", goes limp, taps out, the meal is over.
Fourth rule, only one guy to a bowl.
Fifth rule, one bowl at a time, fellas.
Sixth rule, no shirt, no shoes, no service.
Seventh rule, meals will go on as long as they have to.
And the eighth and final rule, if this is your first night at Ramen Club, you have to eat.
Ramen Club is kinda like what Santa Ramen used to be before they got big time. It's a small little cozy spot with a counter and a few tables... Sound familiar?
Not only do they serve ramen, they have sushi and rice plates as well. The ramen was good and priced way cheaper than Santa. $7.25 for regular ramen and $8.95 for any special ramen orders. The ramen is really good. The broth isn't as thick and fatty as Santa's (thick and fatty is a good thing when talking about ramen and women) but it was still good.
The service was impeccable! While I was waiting to be seat, the asked if I wanted anything to drink. Very hospitable! The staff was very attentive, they came back a bunch of times to ask if we needed drink refills.
I really like the layout of the spot. The ramen is prepared right behind the counter so you can see everything going on. I always enjoy watching the behind the scenes prepping and cooking. It makes me feel comfortable about not having spit or boogers in my food.
A total recommend! This is now my new fave ramen spot!
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reeeeally good lunch deals, but it can definitely get crowded. which is good, 'cause it must mean this place is good, right?
paul says that the yaki soba is the shiznit, so i had to go get me some. they use the ramen kind of soba (not the buckwheat-y ones) and it's got lots of veggies (esp. cabbage). if you go for lunch, it's a real steal 'cause you get an additional order of california roll with it. (of course, if you're a vegetarian, ask for the yaki soba with no meat and an avocado roll.) the avocado roll was awesome. perfect avocados! and the soba was absolutely delish. my friend ordered a soup ramen that comes with an order of potstickers, which comes with an amazing lip-smackin' sauce. i shoinked the sauce and drizzled some over my soba and that made a good thing even better.
it's just sad that, being a strict vegger, i can't try the ramen soup, which is their specialty. other than the yaki soba with no meat, there are slim options for fellow veggers. not to say that this place isn't worth checking out though.
service is good. our waiter was really nice (the tall guy with the classes). but the place is definitely small. good luck when you come! or just get take-out.
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Ive had the lunch sets from time to time(bento) and they are delicious and a good value. I love the chicken teriyaki. For dinner I really love the katsu curry over rice. It tastes homemade unlike alot of other japanese restaurants. For basically a place with pretty authentic fare there was one peculiar anomaly. When we ordered miso soup they brought us instead the broth of the miso ramen noodle dish. It is very different. My Japanese guest was especially shocked and just a little bit outraged as Miso Soup is a very revered and important staple in Japanese society. It is usually served at every meal and it is usually prepared a certain way. Everyone knows how to make it, even schoolchilldren. I sincerely hope that Ramen Club sees their folly and returns this important and vital dish (properly prepared) back to the menu.
If you love noodles (esp ramen), this is the place. The portions are huge, the food is falvorful and the waiters are persistent. The only downer is that the place isnt very large. When you come in for dinner, there always tends to be a wait. On a Thursday, we waited around 25min for a party of four. Also, parking can be a pain since there is only parking on the street.
When I come in with my family, we all order a main dish (ramen or rice) and order appetizers. The grilled squid is delicious, esp with their dipping sauce. Their tuna poki is another item we HAVE TO order. Be prepared, it is full of chopped-up onions but goes so well with the raw tuna.
Whenever I come here, I either order the Miso Ramen or Curry Chicken Katsu. Both really delicious. The portion of the ramen is huge. In addition to the ramen, there is pork, bamboo shoots, seaweed and corn in it. THe noodles are hand-made so tastes really fresh! The Curry Chicken Katsu dish is also good when I am not really in the mood for noodles. Its a bit spicy ( in my opinion) but definitely worth trying if your a fan of curry.
I have never been here for lunch but the lunch menu is amazing! (price-wise). All dishes were around $7-10.
This place is definitely worth a try!
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Just returned there for a co-worker's bday lunch. I used to eat here all of the time, but it just doesn't do it for me anymoh.
They have good lunch specials: ramen & fried gyoza; tonkatsu (other meats too), rice, mini ramen; and curry with fried gyoza. It's about $7-9 for lunch.
Service is pretty lickety split. It can get busy, so try not to go on the hour. Arrive at 12:50 instead of 1:00 and you'll be golden.
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Saba shioyaki dinner and lunch is a must.
then another choice is beef rib for lunch or dinner.
this place is excellent, all i need to do is switch off between those two orders.
parking can be a pain in the ass since there's limited amount of space.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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04/25/2007
the best ramen i have ate in burlingame and or california thus far. i have not tried the other ones… Read more »
My favorite is Spicy Miso Ramen. It's very delicious and the price is below $7.00. The only thing I don't like is the place always crowded between 6.30-7.30 pm and don't have much waiting area.
Summer time is ok to wait outside but when winter time is here, it's cold to stand outside.
Best ramen shop on the peninsular. This place has been around for years and it is still the best. The noodles are homemade and the ingredients are fresh. The wait staff is efficient but it is more fun sitting at the counter.
I have been a fan of this small ramen/sushi house for 10 years or so, I was dubious when they changed head chef, and I do miss Hide (pronounced hee-day - I think that is the right spelling...) anyhow, good food, Kirin on tap, inexpensive, popular (sometimes a line in the eves)...seats maybe 22 or so...their Ramen is really great, the sushi is good and inexpensive (relatively).
3-1/2 star average? What? This is, like, the best ramen I've ever had in the states! This will teach me to not place absolute trust in Yelp (although in yelp's defence, it has never really steered me too wrong... well, except for Sushi 21, which went out of business - yey!)
But Sarah, who I've not seen in literally years suggested this place, and knowing she's never steered me wrong at all in the past when it comes to food, I went in with high expectations.
Historically this means I leave disappointed, but Ramen Club took my expectations and met them right on the nose. Pow Pow.
Whoo weeee, Sarah had the beef rib (and let me have a taste - yummmmmmy) while I had the Salmon dinner - the fish was fresh, perfectly seasoned with spinach (weird yummy peanut sauce on top), garden salad (yummy unidentified dressing on top) and ramen. It was a lot of fish and a taste of everything else that really hit the spot for this big eater.
To quote a famous bear name Pooh: Honey for the tummy.
There IS a reason why this place is always packed... even late... even despite its near hidden location in an obstructed retail strip.
Must eat at Ramen Club again!
I soo love this place! Their gyoza sauce is the bomb! No one's sauce is ever that good. And I order the usual bentos or what have you. But I always, always, order gyozas.
The way I know a place is good is if half the coworkers in my office come to the kitchen while I'm eating and go "OMG WHAT IS THAT SMELL IT'S DELICIOUS WHERE'D YOU GO HOW'D YOU FIND IT AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH"
Ok, so they're not *that* crazy, but you get the idea. My dumbass decided to check this place out yesterday. I say I'm a dumbass because, well, if I had just looked closer, then I would have found that they're closed on mondays. Instead, I went today.
Someone want to tell me how I was raised Japanese and yet don't remember eating Udon? Man I must have been drinking a lot in the last 10 months, because that's ridiculous.
Anyways, Curry Udon. Get it. It's effing fabulous. I sat there devouring it. Do you know the bad thing about not being depressed anymore? Is that you get your appetite back. You know what the good thing about not being depressed anymore? You get your appetite back for massive amounts of Curry Udon.
I will be returning tomorrow because my coworker won't shutup about it. Mmm...curry udon broth. ^_^!
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I love Ramen noodles. (pronounced Rawwwwmen) And this place is great for that. Come early or be ready to wait outside.
This place always look pack whenever I drive by on my way home. So many people gave it 4 to 5 stars.
I figure I give this place a shot and see what everybody is all excited about.
So I get there before 6 pm just before the crowd and order a Udon soup with chicken and shrimp tempura because I figure they are known for soup (hint Ramen aka top ramen)
It was ok, honestly I should of just order the bento box, can't go wrong with that.
They have Vietnamese coffee. +1
Food is way better than Santa Ramen, has more selection, and nummy extras +1
Little divey place to take non-locals to so they feel like a local to (I took my sister) +1
They don't rush you, even after you come in five minutes before they close and are the last ones to leave +1
Anybody want to go?
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I would have to say that Ramen Club is probably the best bang for your buck when it comes to lunch specials. They havea really great deal with their "set" lunch combos. Their ramen is very good, so are the gyoza, and the chicken karrabe. I have only been here a few times but would definitely go there again soon!!
Why does this place have so many stars!? I'll give them one star for the cheep cheep lunch specials cause they were only a few buck buck bucks! But still... the macaroni salad was gross... bland and with potato filler. I had to liberally pepper and salt it and pick through the pasta bits. Ordered the chicken karaage since so many yelpers mentioned it and it was mediocre. It was lacking in flavor and again I had to liberally salt and squeeze lemon on it. The spinach gorae side dish was mediocre. The only redeeming thing was that the noodles were soggy... but the broth was flat and boring. An hour later I'm guzzling sugar to come off of my MSG high...
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I *love* my karaage udon and california rolls from this cute, happy little place that I've been going to for 10 years or so. I literally *crave* them sometimes.
In fact, last weekend I stopped in to get my karaage noodles, and was sad and pathetic like Droopy the hound when I found out that they have a limited menu on Saturday that didn't include my favorite lunch item. BUT DEN!--I had a stroke of genius and realized I could assemble my own. I ordered noodles, an appetizer portion of chicken karaage, and proceeded to dump them together myself. I made a mess and spilled shoyu all over my crackberry and found little brown soy-sauce dots on my face and arms later, but I was happy, man, I was happy.
Very disappointing. I've been eating here since the late 90's when Hide [Hid'-day] was running the kitchen under the original owner. Having since moved farther away, I started coming by less frequently, but I've never forgotten how good the home-made noodles are--even under the second, current owner. I went last night with a friend from overseas, and both our ramens were so disappointing, I think I'm done here.
I ordered the shio ramen with extra pork (char siu) like I always do, and my friend ordered the shio ramen with tofu and vegetables. (I recommended ordering shio because the owner had told me some time back that it was the only ramen that he adds no MSG to. All the others are heavy with MSG, which inevitably upsets my stomach and makes me thirsty to no end.) The pork was uncharacteristically tough this time. I've always had tender pork here before except once, and Hide offered to replace it. That was great service. But this time, when I mentioned the tough pork to the waiter, he told me they are all the same. My friend's vegetables were not cooked enough. It was a plate of tough, chewy chopped cabbage and tough, chewy sprouts. The quantity of the ramen has lessened. I kept it to myself, but my friend, who was here for the first time, pointed out to me how small the quantity of noodles was, and I had no choice but to agree. This makes me wonder what their "half-size" ramen looks like. The noodle is still very good as before, but noodles alone don't make the dish. Especially when the amount of noodles themselves has decreased. If the restaurant needs to charge more to make up for the rise in food costs, then do so. I think reasonable customers would understand if the price increase is judicious. Degrading pre-existing quality to maintain profitability is a worse strategy.
And to think that I had driven as far as I did to show this place off to my visiting friend....Ugh.
I liked my ramen here. The serving is more than enough, with some tasty meat. I also like how you can add extras to your bowl. Seems more like a quick stop shop and they also serve beer. Should probably be cheaper than $8+ but oh well, worth the drive from SF.
Shoyu broth was okay, nothing great, maybe a little lacking. The shio broth was light and okay as well. I'm not a big shio fan so take it FWIW. Noodles were overcooked.
People told me this place was just average, but I was curious since I used to run by here all the time and its typically always busy too, which was even more curious.
Curious desire has been sated. I can cross this place off my ramen to-try list.
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I still have to say Santa is my fav ramen place but Ramen club comes in at a close second - they have a really yummy 'asari ramen' (clam ramen) and they also have really good lunch specials. I like the chicken karaage lunch special - they give you a ton of chicken and then you get macaroni salad, rice and a small ramen on the side. The staff is pretty nice and attentive as well. You can see them making all the food in the kitchen since the restaurant is pretty small which is good in my opinion bc you see how fresh everything is.
Been here twice now and the first time wasn't all that great, but not bad. I just had to come back a second time to be fair. The Shio Ramen was nothing special and my bf's Miso Ramen was a little bit tastier, but not spectacular either. After finishing both bowls, my bf was still hungry so he ordered the Fried Gyoza. I tried one and the filling was not good at all....everything inside was mushy.
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It's a hit or miss place in terms of the food. Sometimes the food can be good but there are those other times where it's just plain with not a whole lot of flavor. I usually get the spicy miso ramen or curry ramen. I figure, the name of the restaurant is 'Ramen Club' so order what they're supposedly good at. Lunch time... try to avoid the place because it can get REALLY crowded. Parking isn't too bad if you don't mind walking a block or two or even across the street.
Edit 5/24/08: Lately, the food here has been mostly good. And today, I sat at the 'sushi bar' and was able to watch them cook the food. It was pretty entertaining. So, I added 1 more star.
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Ramen Club, indeed.
Another trip to Santa Ramen was thwarted (uh, why be closed on a Tuesday?), so I ended up at Ramen Club.
The one thing I have against the Bay Area is the lack of good ramen places. Or, at the least, a lack of good ramen restaurants concentrated in one area. Having lived in Gardena, I was spoiled by having a bunch of ramen places to try within a three-mile radius. Here, ramen places are spread out every 20 miles.
For Bay Area ramen places, this place gets four stars (however, if applying L.A. rules, this place would only get three). They actually made their own gyoza, which is seemingly rare up here, and the miso broth wasn't too watery. The noodles were gummy, however. Wasn't sure why that was the case, but I gave it a pass considering it was the Bay Area.
Ramen Club. It might not be Hakata in Gardena, but it's good enough for the Bay. I'll join the club.
I have to say that Ramen Club has a great lunch special and a neighborhood feel which is great.
A+
Great for a quick lunch. Poki is to die for, ramen is fresh. staff is friendly and efficient. good prices.
I can't believe I've even waited this long to write a review for Ramen Club. This is THE neighborhood joint. All other restaurants in Burlingame wish they could be so loved. I live only a few blocks away, but I would drive miles in rush hour for their Poke-Don (various sashimi and onion over rice with delicious sauce). My bf and I go to Ramen Club pretty much every Thursday with some friends who also live nearby, so much that the two servers ask where we were if we miss a week. I don't claim to be an expert on authentic Japanese food or Hawaiian poke, but this place is tops for excellent quality and service at a totally affordable price. We hardly even go anywhere else for sushi anymore. We usually spend about $35 for dinner for 2 including a large Asahi to share. Our favorites: Shio Ramen, Poke-Don special, Sushi combo special.
Authentic Tokyo back ally ramen-ya ambiance with just okay tasting ramen. The true test for me is to want to basically inhale the soup after finishing my noodles, but I was content to drink my water. White miso broth was not especially flavorful or complex (the opposite of Himawari).
Not a big fan of fried gyoza because its usually allot of dough and little stuffing but theirs were relatively light and tasty. It didn't hurt that they served it with a flavorful garlicky dipping sauce.
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Love love love their sushi! (but stay away from California rolls) This restaurant is 1 block away from my house, therefore my roommate and I always drop by for a quick night fix or a light saturday lunch. Their staff is friendly, once you sit down they bring the hot tea to you right away along with the menu. Their tofu salad is heavenly.
Be warmed that the place is always PACKED! If you come in a group of 3 plus, you probably have to wait in line.
Too bad they don't open on Sunday, also due to the shortage of the staff on Saturday, their menu choices are limited.
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Ramen Club is located in Burlingame along one of the main roads, California Street (parallel to El Camino). I've been here several times, mostly for dinner. Busiest times are during the main meal times, 12pm and 6pm, when you will see people sometimes standing outside waiting for their name to be called. This quaint Japanese restaurant is small in size, homey, and has nice, appropriate decoration. Because of its close-quarter, intimate setting seats fill up fast and volume level can vary from moderate to high. Groups may find it challenging so I recommend small groups or just a few people.
The staff's efforts in maintaining a clean establishment is obvious. Upon entering you'll notice that the dark-colored wooden furniture, overhanging decoration, lights, and the Japanese literature on the backwall all flow nicely to create an atmosphere not only aesthetically pleasing, but separate from the outside world you left behind at the front door.
Whether you decide to sit at the sushi bar counter and watch the smiling, friendly chefs or at the tables, you'll find presentation of food attractive and clean. Service is attentive and welcoming. Chefs wear Japanese-style garb and conversate freely with customers. Ramen Club provides a warm and entertaining place for couples, familes with children, and good friends to chat and eat.
Ramen is one of the main food items, an asian noodle soup with a customizable variety of ingredients (To the novice, please note this is NOT your grocery store "Top Ramen" noodles at 25 cents a package!)
Tofu, tempura, green onion, and other items are available to add to your ramen bowl. If you don't want ramen there is sushi, rice dishes, and a variety of appetizers to whet your appetite. The teriyaki chicken is especially good. I have not sampled the sushi here but can tell you there are no sushi boats floating around.
Prices are reasonable and what you would expect for Japanese cuisine in a casual/semi-formal setting (dinner can be had for $20+, depending on what you order). Aside from the main menu, take a look at optional menu located on each of the tables, which is where most of the time I order from.
There is usually enough parking on the street, as Ramen Club has no designated parking lot. Wheelchair access is questionable but I'm sure the staff would try to accomodate. There are no doubt other restaurants out there with larger menus, more spacious seating, cheaper prices, etc., but for a pleasant dining experience,quality of food and service, and good rate of returning customers, Ramen Club and their staff puts together an impressive package for Japanese dining.
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I'm not from the area, so i could be wrong on this, but the parking situation at this place is crappy. if you don't get street parking i think you have to try to find something in the residential areas around the restaurant.
We ordered the tuna poke, ja-ja ramen and the mini super shoyu ramen.
Total bill was $28 including tip.
The ja-ja was ok according to my friend, tasty, but not super. The mini super shoyu was HUGE. It was a vegetable ramen but the broth was too thick so i didn't really like it.
Maybe their "normal" ramen is better, i would go back to try just cause i'm always down for ramen but definitely not ordering either of these again.
The tuna poke was ok. The tuna was fresh but it wasn't marinated and it was just placed atop a bowl of onions.
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If I lived in Burlingame, I would probably come here once in a while until I found something better nearby, but since I don't, I'll stick to shopping around for ramen in the city. Few friends like this place, I just thought it was so-so. The ramen and broth just didn't impress me very much. Also, as mentioned in a previous review, don't get the california rolls. Just trust us.
3 stars because I've had worse ramen.
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Cute LITTLE restaurant that gives ramen a good reputation.
Other than what we know as "instant ramen" = stay away...
Ramen club= Come more often!
The noodles are soft and do soak up enough of the yummy broth. The noodles don't over absorb the broth, like the instant stuff. Great for the upcoming season! Like everyone says, it's busy during lunch time!
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Nice puny-little ramen-ya that rocks my socks. Broth is very smooth and flavorful, but if you're a Hokkaido-style fan, you probably won't find it to be rich enough. Noodles are kind of inconsistent - when the place isn't too busy (when isn't it?), it's a nice al dente, but when the restaurant gets overrun, the noodles are too soft. Can't really blame the chef though, since theres only 1 of him haha. But oh, the chashuu, God bless that chashuu. It's so good that it makes me wanna nut haha. It's smooth, tender, and not the least bit dry. Plus it has a great savory flavor that complements the broth and noodles perfectly. Bonus points for adding a bit of wakame to help me get my daily serving of fiber as well haha. But minus points for no uzumaki kamaboko heh.
The yakisoba too is very good here, has that real yatai-aji bold flavoring. A real matsuri feel haha. The bento here is not bad either. Pretty good karaage, okay saba shioyaki, but then again, the place is called Ramen Club afterall. And considering that, I would steer clear of the sushi here.
4 stars because the ramen is very competent, and because it reminds of me of Hawai'i and of hot summer matsuri nights. Plus it's fairly enjoyable to eat here alone if need be since there's a full shelf of manga, and the chefs are pleasant to chat with as well. Gives real-deal places like Yotteko-ya and Tenka Ippin a run for their money.
I like the ramen here. it's thinner than other places. It's a very small place and always busy. we sat at the bar and watch them make our meals. the fried mochi is very good with the ramen. lots of sides so when you add it all up. it's not cheap.
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4 stars only for the noodle salad with miso sauce. When you crave something refreshing and light to feel better inside, order this dish as it's a combination of sweet, salty, and vinegary flavors.
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