clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

14 Slurp-Worthy Bowls of Ramen in San Francisco

Because nothing says comfort like tonkotsu

View as Map

Even during the pandemic, there have been new additions to San Francisco’s thunderously good ramen scene including the internationally-acclaimed ramen tasting menu at Noodle in a Haystack and the second location of South Bay ramen haven Taishoken both took up residence in the city. Grabbing a bowl at Marufuku in Japantown or Mensho Tokyo on Geary Boulevard is always a smart move, too — though you’ll find neither on this map in an effort to highlight some less obvious options. Head to any of these 14 excellent ramen shops in San Francisco for a worthy bowl.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

Read More

Mensho Tokyo SF

Copy Link

This cult-favorite Tokyo ramen shop touched down with its first US outpost in 2015, and has been popular ever since. The tori paitan ramen remains a favorite, but the G.K.O. (Garlic Knock Out) is another popular favorite for those who enjoy a punch of garlic in their soup (see what they did there?).

Ippudo, a respected Japanese chain, has landed in the Bay Area with locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Cupertino. The menu spans a few different styles, both “modern” and “classic,” but the shop is probably still best known for its 18-hour “Shiromaru Classic” tonkotsu.

Hinodeya Ramen Bar

Copy Link

Hinodeya’s house ramen, made with a dashi-based broth and whole-wheat noodles, is quite popular, as is its bountiful, vegetable-topped “Zen” ramen — one of the better vegan ramen options in the city. Hinodeya has locations in both Japantown and FiDi.

If you want to grab a bowl before a movie at Kabuki, Waraku serves affordable and comforting ramen, including a black garlic tonkotsu, clear chicken shoyu, and popular spicy tantan men, as well as starters and rice bowls.

Waraku

Marufuku Ramen

Copy Link

When it first opened in 2017 this Japantown spot drew long lines for its hot bowls of rich, Hakata-style ramen — marked, broadly speaking, by its thin noodles and creamy tonkotsu broth. The shop is also known for its deluxe chicken paitan, which is available in limited quantities and comes with a chashu chicken breast.

Noodle in a Haystack

Copy Link

It’s unclear when Clint and Yoko Tan’s uber-hyped church of noodles will really be open for service. Seemingly, the award-winning couple is waiting on a few permits and repairs though for now, interested parties can get a taste on specific dates (reservations available on Tock). Expect ramen-tasting menus full of A5 Wagyu and crispy karaage.

Unlike the other spots on this list, this popular Richmond District izakaya-like spot is actually a Korean fusion restaurant rather than a place that purports to serve purely Japanese food. But instead of serving Korean-style ramyun (with or without American cheese), Jijime dishes out a quite solid rendition of a creamy tonkotsu-style broth, available in several versions — spiked with black garlic, for instance, or loaded with bite-size gyoza.

Nojo Ramen Tavern

Copy Link

Soy sauce paitan is the signature style at this Hayes Valley ramen restaurant, whose parent company owns more than 200 ramen shops in Japan. The paitan base can come supplemented with corn, spicy miso, and other add-ons, and includes a whole slow-braised chicken leg.

Iza Ramen

Copy Link

Iza’s most popular ramen dish is its tsukemen — the soupless style, served with a concentrated dipping broth. But the restaurant’s standard ramen, which has a hybrid pork, chicken, and dashi-based broth, is also perfectly solid.

Iza Ramen/Facebook

Ramen Izakaya Goku

Copy Link

This snug storefront on 16th Street in Mission Dolores swings open to warm wood interiors. The kitchen simmers the broth for 16 hours, with tonkotsu, roasted garlic, shoyu, and veggie miso variations, and spiciness ranges from “No Spicy” to “Goku Spicy.” In addition to ramen, there are small plates such as takoyaki octopus balls and taiyaki fish-shaped cakes.

Izakaya Sozai

Copy Link

This popular, pint-sized Inner Sunset restaurant is known for serving a typical izakaya mix of beer- and sake-friendly bites: yakitori skewers and assorted fried fare. But Sozai’s most popular dish, by far, is its tonkotsu ramen, still one of the best versions in the city of the creamy, pork-heavy style.

Ushi Taro

Copy Link

If you’re looking to try a different style of ramen broth, which can skew more toward chicken and pork, Ushi Taro will instead tempt you into trying its beef broth ramen. Go for the paitan if you’re looking for something more classic, but there are other ramen takes to explore, such as the oxtail tomato ramen, if you’re so inclined. If you’re a fan of roasted bone marrow, there’s an option to add it as a flavorful side.

Taishoken San francisco

Copy Link

Esteemed ramen chef Masayasu Sakaguchi deemed San Mateo worthy of his first ramen outpost in the United States. Then in spring 2022, the restaurateur decided the former Mau space on Valencia Street was right for a second location. Nakano-style tsukemen, cold ramen noodles that are dipped into hot broth, remain the main draw.

Coco's Ramen

Copy Link

Coco’s is a cozy black-and-red izakaya with lanterns glowing from the windows on upper Mission as it crosses into Bernal. The home-style ramen comes in eight different types of broth, from classic tonkotsu to miso and curry bases, with options to add on garlic or black garlic, and customize spiciness levels.

Ramen from Coco’s Ramen Coco’s Ramen

Mensho Tokyo SF

This cult-favorite Tokyo ramen shop touched down with its first US outpost in 2015, and has been popular ever since. The tori paitan ramen remains a favorite, but the G.K.O. (Garlic Knock Out) is another popular favorite for those who enjoy a punch of garlic in their soup (see what they did there?).

Ippudo

Ippudo, a respected Japanese chain, has landed in the Bay Area with locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Cupertino. The menu spans a few different styles, both “modern” and “classic,” but the shop is probably still best known for its 18-hour “Shiromaru Classic” tonkotsu.

Hinodeya Ramen Bar

Hinodeya’s house ramen, made with a dashi-based broth and whole-wheat noodles, is quite popular, as is its bountiful, vegetable-topped “Zen” ramen — one of the better vegan ramen options in the city. Hinodeya has locations in both Japantown and FiDi.

Waraku

If you want to grab a bowl before a movie at Kabuki, Waraku serves affordable and comforting ramen, including a black garlic tonkotsu, clear chicken shoyu, and popular spicy tantan men, as well as starters and rice bowls.

Waraku

Marufuku Ramen

When it first opened in 2017 this Japantown spot drew long lines for its hot bowls of rich, Hakata-style ramen — marked, broadly speaking, by its thin noodles and creamy tonkotsu broth. The shop is also known for its deluxe chicken paitan, which is available in limited quantities and comes with a chashu chicken breast.

Noodle in a Haystack

It’s unclear when Clint and Yoko Tan’s uber-hyped church of noodles will really be open for service. Seemingly, the award-winning couple is waiting on a few permits and repairs though for now, interested parties can get a taste on specific dates (reservations available on Tock). Expect ramen-tasting menus full of A5 Wagyu and crispy karaage.

Jijime

Unlike the other spots on this list, this popular Richmond District izakaya-like spot is actually a Korean fusion restaurant rather than a place that purports to serve purely Japanese food. But instead of serving Korean-style ramyun (with or without American cheese), Jijime dishes out a quite solid rendition of a creamy tonkotsu-style broth, available in several versions — spiked with black garlic, for instance, or loaded with bite-size gyoza.

Nojo Ramen Tavern

Soy sauce paitan is the signature style at this Hayes Valley ramen restaurant, whose parent company owns more than 200 ramen shops in Japan. The paitan base can come supplemented with corn, spicy miso, and other add-ons, and includes a whole slow-braised chicken leg.

Iza Ramen

Iza’s most popular ramen dish is its tsukemen — the soupless style, served with a concentrated dipping broth. But the restaurant’s standard ramen, which has a hybrid pork, chicken, and dashi-based broth, is also perfectly solid.

Iza Ramen/Facebook

Ramen Izakaya Goku

This snug storefront on 16th Street in Mission Dolores swings open to warm wood interiors. The kitchen simmers the broth for 16 hours, with tonkotsu, roasted garlic, shoyu, and veggie miso variations, and spiciness ranges from “No Spicy” to “Goku Spicy.” In addition to ramen, there are small plates such as takoyaki octopus balls and taiyaki fish-shaped cakes.

Izakaya Sozai

This popular, pint-sized Inner Sunset restaurant is known for serving a typical izakaya mix of beer- and sake-friendly bites: yakitori skewers and assorted fried fare. But Sozai’s most popular dish, by far, is its tonkotsu ramen, still one of the best versions in the city of the creamy, pork-heavy style.

Ushi Taro

If you’re looking to try a different style of ramen broth, which can skew more toward chicken and pork, Ushi Taro will instead tempt you into trying its beef broth ramen. Go for the paitan if you’re looking for something more classic, but there are other ramen takes to explore, such as the oxtail tomato ramen, if you’re so inclined. If you’re a fan of roasted bone marrow, there’s an option to add it as a flavorful side.

Taishoken San francisco

Esteemed ramen chef Masayasu Sakaguchi deemed San Mateo worthy of his first ramen outpost in the United States. Then in spring 2022, the restaurateur decided the former Mau space on Valencia Street was right for a second location. Nakano-style tsukemen, cold ramen noodles that are dipped into hot broth, remain the main draw.

Coco's Ramen

Coco’s is a cozy black-and-red izakaya with lanterns glowing from the windows on upper Mission as it crosses into Bernal. The home-style ramen comes in eight different types of broth, from classic tonkotsu to miso and curry bases, with options to add on garlic or black garlic, and customize spiciness levels.

Ramen from Coco’s Ramen Coco’s Ramen

Related Maps