Totto Ramen
| Address: | 169 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134, USA |
| Phone: | +1 617-202-5075 |
| Site: | tottoramen.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | 5–10PM 12–4PM 12–4PM 12–4PM 12–4PM 12–4PM 12–4PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 12
SH
Shawn McGrath
First thing that everyone should know before going to this place is that its CASH only. Not a knock against the restaurant but would have been good to know going in. I came into this establishment with high hopes as it was featured on Phantom Gourmet and came away completely disappointed. The inside is definitely cool and hip and has a great bar area to enjoy your noodles or you can get a table. There is also upbeat hip-hop music playing to match with the college culture in the area. However, thats where the good things end. We first ordered the Pork Buns which were very underwhelming. They had little to no flavor at all and did not come with any sauces. It was literally a piece of lightly season pork on a dry plain bun. Next we got a bowl of the Spicy Ramen. I went with Pork and my wife went with chicken. Both were extremely anti-climatic. First, the pork (and chicken) were over-cooked and dry and they literally just dump two big flat chunks of each in the soup. Additionally, the noodles were rubbery and the broth was very plain with a lot of salt. For a company trying to separate itself as a change of pace from other noodle dishes, this place fails. The ramen is nothing more than a downgrade from your normal pho restaurant. And the price is much more than you would actually pay for good pho meaning the value is also non-existent. I will not be back to this establishment anytime soon.
TA
Tachi Soul
I have been to Tottos Allston and Assembly row location and I must say both stores are consistent with one another. The service is good and the sake is decent. For the first-time ramen diners, Totto is the perfect start. You will be able to enjoy it without comparing it to other ramen shops down the line. To the first-time ramen veteran visitors, do not expect the "authentic" Japanese ramen. I genuinely enjoy Tottos ramen and broth. However, the broth, although thick and hearty, is also quite oily. Now, I am unsure if its natural oil from the meat and bones or from cooking oil, but it needs to be taken down a notch. The pulled chicken & pork and the char siu is EXTREMELY DRY. The takoball contained no octopus meat (or at least I didnt feel it when chewing) and is miniature in size compared to what I am used to at Pikaichi. The noodles are el dente, but felt a bit mushy on the outside. In closing, I believe Totto is worth the try, but it is not comparable to Santouka or Pikaichi. In my humble opinion, it is definitely better than Sapporo Ramen and Yume o Katare, though!
CE
Cedric Hom
I remembered Totto in New York being excellent - a worthy competitor to Ippudo. I went to the one in Brighton and it just didnt live up to my memories of the New York location. The broth just didnt taste all that flavorful, and the pork buns were just ok. The first few bites werent bad and was promising, but as I kept on eating, it just got worse and worse. I might consider trying it again, but most likely Ill try New York again first to see if my memories had failed me. Otherwise I probably wont go again unless Im meeting someone and they want to go there. More a 2.5 than a 3.
LE
Leo Hui
If you love Ramen, this is the place to go~~~~ Price: Ramen $9 -$15, Appetizer $3 - $8 Food: ramen are made Al dante. The broth is a chicken based stock. It is rather unique as most ramen bar are pork based. Even though it is a chicken based, it is very creamy and flavorful. The pork bun is good but, not the best I have had. I prefer Ippudon ramens pork bun. Decor / Service: Decor is great, modern with a touch of Japanese style. Service is also great except the only take cash. So, prepare enough cash before coming here.
TW
Twocourse Meal
Totto was a surprise to both of us! Theyre the only place in Boston that offers a seafood ramen option, and their paitan broth is creamy and warming, and has a great, deep flavor. Solid noodles and a variety of toppings (plus a vegetarian broth!) makes this a fine choice for a meal if youre in the area, but we both felt like the ramen and broth werent quite good enough to make us want to finish our bowls. Wed be happy to go again, but depending on the evening, might just make the trek to Ganko instead.
FA
faelasufa arifin
As a Tokyoite my self, I found this ramen is good enough. The broth was thick and I think it was made from chicken, and I personally really like the fact that they have two meat options: pork and chicken. For a peson who doesnt eat pork like me, this is really beneficial. They also have two noodle selections: the thin and thick ones. However, somehow I still found this ramen doesnt taste exactly similar with my usual ramen bowls in Japan. Not too bad for Boston standard though. Keep up the good work!
DA
Daniel
Very mediocre ramen, maybe even bad considering the price. Mega Ramen, which is almost 17 dollars, claimed to have extra portions but barely had any cha siu pork... besides the couple of pieces of pork, there were minimal toppings on the ramen. The noodles were too strong and dry, and the broth tasted out of place for the ramen. On top of this all, cash only? I wish I listened to some of the reviews.. probably wont be visiting this place again.
MI
Michelle N
Really delicious ramen. The service is quick and it hasnt been hard to get a table. Both the spicy chicken and the miso ramen are great. Add an egg to the spicy chicken, (miso comes with) it is worth it. Also the pork buns are good. Ive been three times and have loved it every time. They dont do to-go or delivery, so go hungry. But I bet if you brought a Tupperware with you for your leftovers, they wouldnt stop you from taking them with you...
CH
Chu Alan
Their chicken bone ramen is my favorite, but be aware that its broth is creamy and rich, if you dont like strong flavor definitely dont try that. Their fried chicken is super tender, and takoyaki is good and tasty as well. However they only accept cash, I went there without knowing it and thats the reason I only give it four star. Can you believe that its 21th century and there are still some places in America wont take credit card?
ER
Erica Sandrock
Very inauthentic. We got the veggie ramen and it was not what we had in mind at all. First they had no tofu or vegetarian protein, and they didnt have other typical ramen veggies like nappa or bok choy. They put so much onion and corn that I couldnt taste the broth. Also they put in so much red cabbage that my whole bowl was blue. Two stars instead of one because the service was fast and friendly, but we wont be back.
GE
Geoff Kleinman
This Allston outpost of the famed NYC Ramen shop is a lot more chill (and bigger) than its NYC cousin. Fantastic Ramen, with thick buttery noodles and a rich broth. Miso Rame is everything you need and more, just make sure you bring some cash, as Toto is CASH ONLY. They also dont have to go cups if you dont finish, but they will let you take their soup to go if you bring your own container.
TI
Tim Rosborough
Amazingly simple ramen. There half cooked egg is absolutely perfect, and noodles arent too tough either as Ive seen in other ramen places. They are family cheap as well. My only caveat is that they only take cash. Luckily I have BOA and there is an atm across the street. But if you have another bank, KitKat come prepared!
