Sobo Ramen
| Address: | 988 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94607, USA |
| Phone: | +1 510-832-7626 |
| Site: | soboramen.com |
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Working: | 11AM–2:30PM 11AM–2:30PM 11AM–2:30PM 11AM–2:30PM 11AM–2:30PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 19
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Frederick Regala
My family and I love this place. We eat here at least once a month, perhaps more during cold season. The broth is very good particularly the spicy Tonkotsu. Meat is just right and the whole bowl is simple, just how ramen should be. A simple comfort food. My wife and I have been in many ramen places around the Bay Area that are ranked or rated high on several sites and even from TV food shows and I can honestly say that Sobo Ramen is among the best we have tasted. I just wish there are more options for appetizers and by the way, they now have a restroom in the restaurant. It used to be a long walk through a dirty corridor past several restaurants in order to get to the shared restroom.
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Warren Tang
Was listed on various sites as gluten-free. Was excited to take my partner here to be able to have ramen for the first time. Unfortunately, we were informed that NONE of the broths are gluten free as they contain soy sauce with wheat. Such a disappointment; we had to leave. Gluten-free soy sauce is easily available, and it seems like such a small change to make to actually be able to fully offer a gluten free experience. Please consider making this change, or at least noting on your menu that you do NOT have any fully gluten free options.
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Taylor Fong
Truly tasey and reasonably priced ramen. The tonkatsu broth is rich, savory and has that slight "sticks to your lips" consistency. The noodles are tender but maintain that chewy consistency that comes with being perfectly cooked. Authentic is not a term I like to throw around, but Ive introduced this place to Japanese natives and its exceeded their expectations as well. I come to the Bay Area twice a year to visit family. My return flight it always booked for the early afternoon so I can do lunch here.
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Alan W.
Came here on a cold Sunday night craving some ramen. The line was out the door, but luckily we were a party of two and there was some bar seats available, so our wait was about 10 minutes. Once we were seated, our order was taken relatively quickly and the ramen came soon after. The broth was hot and flavorful, the noodles was very chewy and cooked al dente, and everything else in it was great. I cant think of anything bad with the place except for the wait if you have a party more than two.
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Mike Wilson
Sobo Ramen is amazing! They are the best ramen for the price I have found in the bay area so far. The service is always good and super polite. The eggs are always cooked to perfection, and the broths are on point (their spicy broth is perfect). They offer a ton of options to add to your ramen so you can get the perfect bowl. The atmosphere is great here too, cozy but not cramped and minimal without being sparse. The chopsticks are great too.
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Evangeline Phang
There are not a lot of good Asian restaurants in nor cal. This is an exception. Ive been here several times during my summer internship. The spicy black tonkotsu ramen is the best. You can also customize your ramen if youre particularly picky. They get quite busy during lunch, so if you can come a little before the rush, the wait isnt that long! Food: 4/5 Price: 3/5 Location: 3/5 (its in Chinatown so there are a lot of other Asian options!)
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Jasvir Nagra
We got here just as it opened at 5pm...there was a line but just of three people. It didnt get especially crowded either. Service was quick and efficient. We had a party of 4 and while everyone had different dishes including some vegetarian, the consensus was universal - the ramen was delicious and very reasonably priced. The place is also pretty baby friendly... there were several toddlers in high chairs around.
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Albert L.
Heres a ramen place smack dab in the middle of Chinatown. The things is people wants to believe the news more than word of mouth. This place just cant compare to the real version. Cantonese and Mandarin spoken among employees. Only thing Japanese is decor and ambiance everything else is make believe. Broth and flavoring is use and be prepared to be thirsty. Staff are nice, but thats about it.
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Fredrick Barker
I had the spicy miso, which was very tasty. The egg was nicely cooked, the chashu was falling apart tender (overdone for me), the broth tasty and spicy, and the noodles toothsome. Cant say much about noodle flavor nuances because of the spice level, but my tummy was happy! Use the bathroom before coming, because theirs is through a labyrinth of tunnels, past active kitchens, etc.
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Nate Horwitz-Willis
This place is very good and the prices are very reasonable. Its not a scene and thats a good thing because the service is great with attentive wait staff even during a busy weekend lunch rush. You can definitely go there on a casual, chill, low-key vibe and still enjoy yourself solo, date, or with friends. Try the chicken shoyu! They have good vegetarian options too!
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Monica Salamy
Weve become loyal regulars at Sobo. The service is incredible, the setting small yet accommodating and the best item on the menu is their Spicy Shoyu. They also have a great Gluten-free and Vegan menu. Ive lived all over the Bay and different parts of the country and Sobo is simply my favorite Ramen ship in Oakland. I highly recommend it to anyone.
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Tu Lam
Ive walked by this place many times, but never went in because someone told me it wasnt very good. Today we have it a try. The service was decent, the hot tea came in a super tiny pot, the ramen was pretty tasty but the soup want super hot as it should be. Worth the ramen they have pre design selections or you can build your own.
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EXWild Wolf
Didnt like it. Broth tastes generic and is too oily, noodles have no flavor or texture, and the amount of extra ingredients you have to put into make the bowl fulfilling gets ridiculously expensive. Only reason why I didnt give them 1 star was because they have decent customer service. Go somewhere else.
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alex garcia
I believe this used to be the best place to get some ramen, though the past few times it has been on the salty side (hence the 4 stars). Reguardless there is still a place in my heart/stomach for sobo, and hopefully they will soon return to their non over salty recipe.
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Joshua Iufer
Nice unassuming ramen shop in Oakland is a great place to stop on a cold day if youre in the area. I wouldnt say its the most amazing Ramen Ive ever had, meaning I probably wouldnt make a trip from far away to come eat here but if youre local and craving its perfect.
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Jonny DeInteritus
Its ok. Really, just ok. Im probably spoiled by ramen in the peninsula and south bay but I dont think Id put it on my list of ramen. Its just, I think theyre doing too much. The flavors are all over the place. Dont believe the hype. Ramen is Japanese.
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Sean Chang
Definitely the best ramen in downtown Oakland, and I would say their specialty ramens are more consistent than even The Ramen Shops. I like the mayu black garlic oil ramen. Their appetitizers are tiny servings so not that great of a deal.
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Suwin Chawla
I came to this place with absolutely 0 expectation. Surprisingly their vegan ramen is pretty good and simple. One thing I love about this place is that you can add extra toppings on your dish. Would recommend this to my friend and family.
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Bec fulton
We found our new spot for ramen! I cant belive that I hadnt heard about this place sooner, they been in downtown Oakland for a few years. Excellent bowl of ramen served up quickly plus a decent amount of beer on tap.
