Santa Ramen - Ramen restaurant in San Mateo - 1944 S El Camino Real, USA

First time here, and we tried the pork belly with Tonkotsu soup base and regular pork with Tonkotsu soup. I thought the soup was a bit salty, but it did taste ok. The pork belly was in a large chunk so the meat part was a bit tough. My 12yr old liked the soup. He cleaned it up 😁

Nice table distancing. Friendly waitstaff (only 1 working). Food was tasty. Be prepared, MSG is used, so dry mouth after lunch. Pork cheek meat was fattier than stewed pork belly. If you don't like all that fat, skip the pork cheek. OUTSTANDING: Must try the fried Chicken Karaage. I would go there just for the chicken. Give this place a try. Sister had pork cheek meat noodle bowl and I had the fried soft shell crab noodle dish.

Santa knows how to ramen. Photo of the softshell crab in pork flavor! Better to reduce the number of ingredients, thinner but larger cuts of meat yet more broth.

Came here for lunch on a weekday and they were half full, busier than expected. The karaage was fried very well and texture was spot on - crunchy exterior with juicy interior. Also loved how you can just order two pieces. However, the chicken had an odd smell and taste to it that was kind of gamey, not pleasant. The ramen was okay, but the egg was way overcooked for a ramen spot. All in all, fine for an average lunch but don’t expect to be blown away.

Ramen was excellent and the broth was my favorite part however, the only exception was the egg which of course is probably a personal preference but was a bit disappointed with it (egg was hard boiled and not runny).

Ramen was ok but very low effort appetizers. Cold tofu only came with soy sauce, and no seasoning in edamame.

Always a go-to for my family when we want our ramen fix. Garlic pork runs out occasionally as it's a popular broth. Pro tip: get extra ramen on the side so you can take it home next day with the broth and have yourself another ramen the next day!

Ramen and Chicken Bento were delicious. This place is good for easy eats without the frou frou. At this time however, Santa Ramen has limited menu and may not have enough options for some. They do get busy but try to work fast to serve their customers. Good portion is decent to generous. Price is standard for San Mateo. Definitely worth going back to especially if you find their ramen flavors to your liking.