Ramen Parlor

My first time trying this place and I really enjoyed it!
The venue is a little small but the service was quick and great! We got there around 6:10 pm and maybe waited about 20 mins to order our food outside. When we got seated it took about 5 – 8 mins for our bowls of ramen to come out.
They’re known for their speciality ramen with lobster so my friend got that one but I tried the shrimp curry ramen with mild spice. I really enjoyed the soup the most, the curry made the consistency really thick and creamy. The noodles were delicious after waiting a bit for them to absorb the flavor of soup and the toppings complimented the meal well so I was completely satisfied. I tried his lobster soup base and I like how different it is from typical ramen restaurants. You can really taste the lobster flavor in the lobster, pork, and garlic soup base. I would come back here again just to try their other options!

My first visit I ordered the lobster broth ramen and it was delicious! Temperature was hot and there was plenty of soup in my bowl. Today I ordered the spicy crab ramen and it was just ok. Barely enough broth (I could see my noodles there was so little soup) and the temp was just warm my chives never softened up.
Next visit I’ll update this but for now this is what they get ;(

Ordered the garlic lobster pork ramen in medium spicy and it was absolutely delicious!!! Broth was rich with flavors and the ramen noodles had the perfect al dente consistency. I especially loved the piece of soft shell crab and quail eggs that came with the dish.
The service was also a plus. The place was pretty small and crowded but they were very efficient with their seating arrangements as well as taking our orders when we were still waiting outside.

Disclaimer: I do not get the ramen hype.
Now that that is over with, considering the above statement, I actually really liked Ramen Parlor! I ordered the basic ass ramen bowl with the garlic pork flavor broth. Friend ordered the lobster soy sauce ramen bowl (comes with a half deep fried soft shell crab and 2 quail eggs, plus same toppings as first tier). There is a third tier that comes with red or black chili oil.
Broth was super tasty and comforting. Ramen noodles were that perfect al dente consistency that is at once chewy and firm almost to a level of crunchiness (But its def not crunchy). Lobster oil broth is phenomenal.
Overall consensus from the group — we liked this place better than ramen dojo. Comes with more toppings and the broth is a little bit more exciting. Also, less of a wait AND bigger space AND theres a small parking lot attached.
Despite not being a ramen hype fan, I would def come back here again!

Lunch review.
Deep fried gyoza — ²⁄₅
Chicken Karaage — ⁴⁄₅
Crab cheese spring rolls — ³⁄₅
Ramen:
Broth (lobster Tonkotsu) — ⁴⁄₅
Broth (black tantan) — ⁵⁄₅
Broth (red tantan) — ⁴⁄₅
Noodles — ³⁄₅
Topping (soft shell crab) — ³⁄₅
Topping (short rib) — ⁵⁄₅
Topping (chashu) — ³⁄₅
Topping (fried garlic) — ²⁄₅
Topping (quail eggs) — ⁴⁄₅
Topping (soft egg) — ³⁄₅
Overall, unique. «As good as it gets.»
Future order: Black tantan, extra spicy, add short rib, add quail egg. Skip garlic and crab.

I’ve been to ramen parlor three times now. The first time, it completely blew me away. For the appetizer, i ordered their takoyaki. It was good, well cooked. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that it was served as an odd number. Not great to try to share with someone. For the entrée, I ordered the garlic lobster pork with mild spice and it was absolutely amazing.
The next two times, it was quite disappointing. The broth was extremely spicy even though I asked for mild. There wasn’t any flavor to the broth at all. It was like spicy hot water with toppings. This couldn’t have just been me either. I could hear whispers from around the room «Wow this is spicy». The AC was being blasted too, maybe to cool people down from sweating cause of the spice.
The restaurant is quite small, so if you don’t want to wait, make sure you get here before they open. The line starts forming 30 minutes+ before opening! There’s a small parking lot that can fit maybe 8 cars or so.
I will probably give this place one more shot, hoping for my first experience here.

After going to Ramen Dojo at opening time for dinner and still finding a packed house with a hefty waiting list, my boyfriend and I decided to walk over to Ramen Parlor to see how the wait compared. Thankfully, it was shorter.
A waiter took our order while we were still outside, so once we were seated, the food came out fairly quickly. I ordered the Lobster Garlic Pork Ramen, medium spicy, with added corn and flavored egg, and my boyfriend ordered the Spicy Crab Miso Ramen, medium spicy. We ordered an order of takoyaki to share.
I enjoyed the lobster garlic pork broth and thought it was rich, though the lobster flavor in the broth was kind of subtle, so I’m not sure if I’d order the same dish again over the regular Garlic Pork Ramen. The noodles were well-​cooked and chewy. I didn’t think the added corn was enough in quantity for the price, but the flavored egg, which I added because I like them more than quail eggs, was absolutely worth it. Seriously, the egg made me so happy. Itwas soft-​medium boiled with the yolk slightly runny, exactly the way eggs in ramen should always be! The deep-​fried soft shell crab was good, though I wish that it was less soggy from resting in the broth, and the roasted pork was a bit leaner than what I’m used to in ramen but still very rich.
I thought my boyfriend’s spicy crab miso ramen had a super flavorful broth (even more so than the lobster garlic pork), though he preferred my broth. This ramen packed a lot more heat than mine even though we both ordered medium spicy. The chives were a nice added touch, and it went well with everything else in the broth.
The takoyaki, even though it’s listed as an appetizer, came out while we were eating our ramen. They were very doughy, and I was disappointed that there weren’t any bonito flakes on top. Don’t think I’d order it again because I’ve had much better.
But I came for the ramen, so 4 stars for Ramen Parlor. Just stick with the ramen for a 4 star experience!

Ramen Parlor opens at 5:30pm for dinner, but my friends and I arrived early knowing that the other ramen spots were closed on Tuesdays. About 5 minutes before opening, folks started to line up in front of the door. We were asked how many people were in our party and got seated shortly after.
We had the gyoza and fried chicken to start, with a bottle of Sapporo. Each of us ordered the lobster garlic miso ramen, which came topped with crispy soft shell crab. The spice level for my broth was medium, but I wasn’t able to drink much of the soup because it was too spicy. I will definitely order mild broth next time and add some chili flakes as needed.
I did appreciate the space in Ramen Parlor. The restaurant itself was much larger than Dojo, so there is some wiggle room and much better ventilation. They also have their own private parking lot.
I think I prefer Ramen Dojo and Santa Ramen, but if I’m craving soup on a Tuesday, Parlor will be my spot!

Very efficient, write your name on the door. They will call your name to give you a menu and the take your order shortly. It helps with the wait time cause once you get seated, the food will be brought out within 1 – 2 minutes.
I got the Lobster Garlic Pork Flavor, flavor is amazing! I got Mild Spicy, but it still has a kick to it. My spicy tolerance is low, hot Cheetos make me cry a little bit. The soft shell crab that is included is amazing and definitely can eat the whole thing. The broth is not that heavy and doesn’t get tiring after a couple of bites. The meat is a little sparse though but amazingly tender.
Service is OK, just gotta wave them down.
Parking, super small lot about 15 – 2 cars only. Street parking is a tad difficult.
Highly recommend, I’m back a second time so a definite must ;)

Not familiar with the San Mateo area, I Unilocaled Ramen and found Ramen Parlor. Arriving around 12:00, it was great to find they have parking. There is a line out front, you put your name on a list, a guy comes out and gives you a menu, he comes back to take your order, and I’m sitting down within 10 minutes.
My bowl of Miso Ramen was OK, the broth was lack luster. It seems there is more emphasis on the level of spice than ingredients. Later did I find out their specialty leans more to seafood. There is another store, Ramen Dojo, that I understand is owned by the same folks and serves more of the traditional ramen. Bookmarked for the future.

Lobster-​enhanced broth with deep-​fried soft-​shell crab… That essentially summed it all — great combo that highlighted the flavor of Ramen Parlor’s Parlor Ramen. Classic ramen options were available, but it was difficult not to go with their specialty. Ramen buzz is so loud in San Mateo and Ramen Parlor is the sound that keeps ringing in my ears.
The Parlor Ramen was one of the most appealing and tastiest ramens that I’ve tried. It was certainly a delight just looking at it. Aside from the lobster oil and soft-​shell crab, it was served with two delicious slices of chashu (roasted pork), two quail eggs, two pieces of roasted seaweed, bean sprouts, and spinach. The roasted pork was nicely seared on both sides which brought forth a better color and flavor. They used to give a quarter of the crab, but they upped their game by making it a half per serving. It had a good crunch and was truly on point. It separated the Parlor Ramen from the rest of the competition… by a mile. It was like the «S» on Superman’s chest, the shield on Captain America’s forearm, or the staff on Gandalf’s hand. It was the most notable ingredient in that bowl.
Among the Parlor Ramen items that we initially tried were the Lobster Garlic Pork Flavor and the Lobster Miso Flavor. The former had kikurage mushrooms while the latter contained corn kernels. The broths were fantastic, flavorsome, and melded collectively with everything inside. Precisely executed, people!
Although the Parlor Ramen was outstanding, not much can be said about the side dishes that we have tasted. The Wheat Ball with Octopus (Age Takoyaki) had a good crust but everything was downhill from there. It was so mushy which instantly reminded me of Gerber baby food. The Spicy Spareribs were tender but the sauce was overly sweet for my liking.
Ramen Parlor is by far my favorite ramen shop this side of the bay. The soft-​shell crab and lobster oil made it an easy choice. It was a pleasant and welcome departure from the traditional ramen bowl. A prime spot to get that ramen fix…

Ramen parlor! The sister restaurant of the famous Dojo. To be honest, I like ramen palor much better
1) the wait is much tolerable (although we waited for 40 mins on a cold and rainy friday around 8pm)
2) the soft shell crab!
The chashu is on point and I got lobster shoyu ramen but I couldnt taste much (if any) lobster sauce being added to the broth. The tokotsu lobster is much better (i tried my friend)
A bit pricier than most ramens but given that you get the crab., it is worth it

If you like ramen then what’s stopping you from dining here? Nothing but maybe the small wait as there’s usually a line.
I love Ramen Dojo and Ramen Parlor as well. Both have delicious broth, awesome toppings and just the right bite for noodles.
If you enjoy a more seafood taste I would definitely recommend this place! Heck I even order an extra soft shell crab for my ramen since it’s well worth it!

I prefer the Parlor over its sister shop, Dojo, down the street. It has its own parking lot abeit it’s a bit too small for all the customers on weekends. The dining space is less claustrophobic than Dojo. The wait is comparable to Dojo.
But honestly, it’s all about the spicy crab ramen at this shop. I could eat it every day. The tempura soft shelled crab is always so damn addicting. Get an extra order of it. I also love their spicy miso broth. Don’t get me started about their eggs and how the yolk just oozes out as one bites into it. The egg noodles are slightly al dente just the way I love it.
This place never disappoints me.

Possibly my favorite ramen place in San Mateo.
If I had to choose between Ramen Dojo, Himawari, Santa Ramen, or here, Ramen Parlor wins it all. I’m also not a very huge ramen fan, and I normally don’t pick ramen as a go-​to meal. But when your ramen has half a soft shelled crab and is flavorful with that garlic and lobster oil taste, how can you turn that down? The time wait is comparable to their popularity, so be sure to wait a while until you can get a seat. Came here with a couple of friends around 6:30, but we still had to wait about 30 min before going in. It’s still a shorter wait than Ramen Dojo though. They do have a parking lot, but it fills up fast. When that happens, just find street parking nearby. Once you’re called in, they take your order before they seat you.
I got the lobster garlic pork (spice level: mild) w/​flavored egg & corn, and shared the fried chicken and takoyaki.
The ramen was delicious and flavorful. Not to mention the bowl looked filled with ingredients. My favorite part is definitely the soft shelled crab. The appetizers were just alright. Sorry to say, I can’t give 5 stars due to the amount of sodium. It wasn’t overbearing, but it was still a little much for me.
Ramen Parlor never disappoints.

Ello Ello!
Come early, beat the crowd, and enjoy the delicious ramen.
You must try the GARLIC LOBSTER PORK RAMEN. Kthanksbye!
They have actual parking space. Whoot woot!
Food and service at Ramen Parlor is always on point. Thank you!
I do hope you give this tasty ramen place a try. Cheers!

It’s a good thing Ramen Dojo is so small and can’t accommodate 5 people as easily because then we wouldn’t have found out about Ramen Parlor. Just down the street from Ramen Dojo sits this bigger ramen restaurant with its own personal parking lot. The wait was about half an hour at around 7pm on Easter Sunday.
Most of us got the Lobster Garlic Pork Ramen ($ 12.50). It comes with 2 pieces of roasted pork, bean sprouts, half of a deep fried soft shell crab, 2 quail eggs, spinach, and 2 pieces of roasted seaweed. I added a flavored egg for an additional $ 1.95 and asked for my ramen to be mild spicy.
The broth was soooo good. But the best part was definitely the soft shell crab. It was crunchy and flavorful and you definitely should eat it first before it gets drowned in the soup. Everything about my bowl was perfect from the melt-​in-​your-​mouth pork to the slightly runny yolk of my soft boiled egg. Slurp up! Ramen Parlor is moving to the top of my list for Bay Area ramen.

Garlic lobster pork ramen mild was good! I love that they give a piece of soft shell crab. Sooo good! I couldn’t taste the lobster in the broth though. Quail eggs was kinda weird lol
It’s pretty busy. Waited half an hour to an hour.

One must get through college to truly appreciate the art of ramen. I’m kidding, but I’ve come a long way.
Food: More extensive menu than neighboring Dojo. I opted for the Garlic Lobster Pork Ramen with kikurage mushrooms, extra spicy broth. My largely sized bowl came with pork, fried soft shell crab, quail eggs, spinach, roasted seaweed, mushrooms and bean sprouts. The broth offered a depth of flavor, richness and a hint of saltiness. Initially not as spicy, but the spiciness grew overtime. My boyfriend tried my broth and looked like he was about to pass out. I thought it was just right, but my threshold for spice is very high. The veggies were all very tasty and we received a good portion. Noodles were supple, not too thin or thick, just right. My favorite part was the crab as it added an unusual, yet wonderful texture and value to the overall bowl. It was tasty and really set this bowl of ramen apart from any other bowl I’ve had before.
Price: Sensibly priced in terms of quality and quantity received. The parlor ramen starts at $ 10.95 and will increase depending on extras added.
Service: Prompt, polite and quick. We dined on a Sunday afternoon and were told the wait was 30 minutes, but were seating in 15 minutes.
Ambiance: Mid-​sized, clean and cozy interior that reminded me more of an American breakfast eatery with a subtle Japanese tone.
Overall: Hearty, rich and affordable ramen shop with good service and a peaceful ambiance.

It’s hard to add much to a famous place with over 1000 reviews, but here is my humble contribution: how to arrive and be seated within 15 minutes. It’s all in the timing.
We had our first Ramen Parlor experience on a weekday night and arrived at 7:05pm. Having previously waited over 45 minutes for Orenchi, we were expecting a similar wait time. But, lo and behold, we snatched a parking spot just as someone was leaving (Ramen Parlor has its own parking lot) and walked up as the third or fourth party in line.
They handed us a menu while we waited, but, being complete newbies, we took a while to weigh the relative merits of Lobster Pork broth versus Garlic Lobster Pork broth (hindsight verdict: they’re both good, but with Lobster Pork broth you can taste the seafood flavor a bit more). Before we even had a chance to decide what to get, we were whisked inside and seated at a table!
And the verdict? Completely lives up to the hype. While the Lobster broth has that slight hint of seafood taste (source: grew up in a coastal city eating seafood every day), it’s not overpowering and is a nice change of pace from other ramen places. But what really won me over was the soft shell crab! You have to eat it quickly and be careful not to submerge it completely (soggy crab? not the best), but the crunchiness really adds a lot to the cornucopia of flavors and textures here. This combination is unlike any ramen place I’ve ever been to before, and as a result Ramen Parlor definitely deserves its accolades.
Not everything was perfect: the quail egg is not really my thing (would probably have enjoyed a poached egg more), and the chicken karaage we got was good (healthy portion, all meat, slightly sweet sauce), but not particularly memorable.
My takeaways from this experience? Arrive just after main meal times. 6:05 — 6:15pm, 7:05 — 7:15pm, 8:05 — 8:15pm. Everyone already knows the «arrive at 5:30pm opening» trick, so it doesn’t work. Ramen Parlor also kicks you out pretty quickly after you’re done, so people can’t take too long with their food. But even if you have to wait 30 – 40 minutes, it’s well worth it for it for this kind of ramen.