Ramen Yamadaya Reviews

I consider myself a well learned gaijin. I've been to Tokyo and Nagoya and consider myself quite knowledgeable of Japanese food. I ordered the level 3 pork ramen and didn't find it hot at all, but that can always be fixed. It was, however, incredibly tasty. The pork belly quite literally melts in your mouth while the broth serenades your mouth with Japanese love. If you have never used chopsticks before, maybe start at Panda express down the street until you graduate to the big boys. Highly recommend.

Popular ramen spot in heart of japan town SF. Easy waitlist and lots to do and see while you wait. Worth it once you dive into the large ramen options. If you get vegan option beware you'll get the skinny rice noodles instead of plump egg noodles. So ask for the noodle you want if you're okay w eggs. Good beer options and the apps were yummy too.

Enjoyed a simple meal of vegan ramen which was delicious. It's a busy little place where you sign-in and they come out and call your name. Definitely recommend.

the restaurant got 1 star because the hostess is horrible! All we asked was how long the wait was and she scowled at us and rudely exclaimed, I DON'T KNOW!!! She looks like she hates her job and hates customers. Never smiled once or spoke nicely to anyone. The food is decent, and lucky for the owner, the restaurant is busy. But we will not go back due to the hostess. Starting your dining experience like that just ruins the taste of the food. The restaurant lacks air circulation as well. Very stuffy in there.

I came for lunch w a couple business colleagues as it's just around the corner from Hotel Kabuki. We all had the special ramen and it was a great experience. I would recommend abandoning your ego and covering a suit w a second napkin. Hard not to splash while slurping.

Yes, you can grab a beer/drink while you wait and I would recommend doing so. We went on a Monday at around 12:30pm and probably waited 30 - 40 minutes. The ramen did not disappoint. The broth was rich and complex and the noodles has the perfect texture. Overall, I would say the service is good and the ramen is great.

We ate at Ramen Yamadaya after visiting the Japantown street festival. There was a large crowd and the only way to request a table is through Yelp. They had a non-functioning iPad, so I used my iPhone to put our names in. We had an issue with our order, but the manager made it right in the end. The food was excellent and made up for the glitchy service. Kudos to the kitchen!

This place was a stroll away from our hotel-- if you find yourself in Japantown around lunchtime, I would recommend Ramen Yamadaya for its delicious, reasonably priced ramen and gyoza. The room was bustling, just before Noon (we had just arrived from the East Coast), but service was quick, friendly, and efficient. It's not a "destination" spot, but absolutely a good choice if you are in the area.

This place is fantastic. The broth was superb. Delicious, filling, tasty and reasonably priced. I walked right in a little after noon on Sunday and got a seat but be prepared to wait a bit, there was a long line moments after I arrived and it was full the whole time. Some of the best Ramen I have had anywhere (including Japan).

A great ramen shop in Japan town SF. Chicken Kara age and gyoza for apps. House special ramen was excellent. Broth was very flavorful without being over powering or too rich. Definitely recommend!

Visited December 2016. Dinner time, week day. Location: Japan Town, second floor of a two-story building. Seating: There are booth available and long tables. I was seated right next to a guy I did not know. Wasn't as comfortable as I would have liked it to be. Food: The ramen was delicious! You can choose to make it hotter, noodles thin or thick, and can add-on (like more egg) to your ramen. I was not able to finish mine, but the boyfriend had no problem doing so. Drinks: They serve beer. All in all: I would recommend this place to groups of 4 or less. The wait was less than 15 minutes to be seated.

Every time we visit, this is on our list to eat. Lines out the door so go early. No frills, just good food.

The food was authentic and you can tell it was home made. The salad was to die for and the dressing is quite addicting. Its a small restaurant the doesn't offeramerican utensils but it was perfect for the atmosphere that is little Japan.

I lived in Japan for 7 years when I was younger and on this trip to SF tried Yamadaya to have a taste of Japanese food. I had tonkatsu curry, my daughter had tokyo ramen, and both were great, on a par with good restaurants in Japan. We tried another place in Japantown which was much less nice, so if you're looking for a good meal I'd recommend Yamadaya. Service was good too. The place was a little noisy as there was a big group that evening but it wasn't their fault.

Never been to a ramen restaurant before and came here on a whim. The food was good and portions are very generous. I ordered a half portion and couldn't finish because of the amount of food. Very quiet and laid back. Great staff.

I'm a ramen addict and I'm always on a hunt for the best ramen place. I can safely say that Ramen Yamadaya is my personal favorite place in the city! I usually order their Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen with the savory, complex broth and the perfectly cooked house-made noodle. Just salivating now, see you soon Ramen Yamadaya 😋

Stopped by this Ramen place for dinner. The only Ramen I had tried was from packets that were dried-top Ramen by Nissin. This was the first time I tried "real Ramen". Let me just say, my taste buds did not really take it well. The dish looked very delicious but I guess you will have to acquire the taste... it may take a second attempt. The staff were extremely friendly and the restaurant is very nice, spacious and clean. It was worth trying.... I say when in Japan you have to be like a Japanese....:) I will give them a 4 star purely because I didn't quite like the flavor....otherwise I would have given them a 5 star.

I'm a pepper head and love extra spicy food. I ordered the spicy ramen "death" level. Ramen Yamadaya delivered a nice spicy bowl of goodness. They put about a quarter cup of the death sauce in my bowl. It was indeed spicy bit not too spicy. My eyes watered but was able to finish the bowl no problem. I find the pork & broth a little too fatty for my liking so I look forward to trying their vegan ramen next time I go....extra spicy of course!

Yamadaya is located on the 2nd floor of building in Japan town. I had Kakuni Ramen, which is pork broth, and it's good, but a bit greasy and expensive ($15.00). 山田屋はジャパンタウンのビルの２階にあります。カクニラーメンを食べました。味はまあまあでしたが、油が多いので完食できませんでした。それに、ラーメンで＄１５は高いですね、、、。

If you're in Japan Town this seems to be the spot for ramen. Many varieties and toppings, popular with young people, neighborhood people, and tourists. Good choice of beers. A fun spot. Vegan options available.

Came here because I heard about their intense process to create the best ramen, and wanted to experience it. It was good, but I have to say the part that disappointed me was that the broth was not very hot. The eggs were only lukewarm and I think they served it too quickly before the broth was properly warmed. The taste of the pork broth was good and the noodles were fine, just needed more TLC.

The restaurant is hidden in the second floor, and it’s quite crowded so prepare to wait in line. They serve a vegan ramen which tastes quite good. Service was very efficient and friendly.

Katsu curry was delicious. Comes with miso soup and a side salad as well as rice and pickled radishes. Gyozas are the best gyozas we've tasted. Pork bun was the best also. Ramen was nice, plenty options for spice levels (advised by staff too, which was helpful) Staff were super friendly, super quick service too. We went quite late (9ish) so I think we missed the Japantown experience that we were expecting (some hype, business and maybe some stalled etc) but it was pretty dead. Wouldn't let this put you off the restaurant though

We visited after reading several reviews boasting this place offered the best ramen. We showed up and there was a little queue (you add your name to a waitlist via the iPad which then sends you a message to your phone when your table is ready) we luckily waited no more than 10 mins before being seated. We sat at a central table but there were separate booths around the edge of the room. Great atmosphere with the music and chit chat coming from the room. Waiter came after maybe 10 mins to take our order. We ordered 2 pork buns and 2 ramen. Unfortunately they seemed to have missed the bun order so we never received these. The ramen came out after 30 mins (bit of a wait) but it was delicious! I loved the depth of the broth and the combo of pork belly and thin slices of pork! The bamboo pieces added a lovely sweet note to the dish and who doesn’t love the soft boiled egg! Would remove the garlic slices as if you accidentally bite it, it ruins the flavour! Would definitely recommend and return :)

I think this and Waruka are some of the best spots for Ramen in Japantown. This is a chain so I was a little wary until I heard great things from foodies I know. Super Yummy Broth, Yummy Karaage, good service, neat space. I like the bar in the middle with the succulents! Even the cabbage salad that came with the karaage was delicious!

The ramen was average in my opinion. The salad dressing was very good. We waited about 15 minutes to sit even though half of the tables were empty and there were only 3 people ahead of us. It's not bad if you have a ramen craving, but I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to recommend it.

This place has really good ramen! I got vegetarian ramen with an egg and it was perfect. I've been to a few places were the broth was over salted but this place was amazing and would recommend.

This was so delicious after coming out of the cold! I'd never had ramen before but I think it will be a hard experience to beat. Service was great. Food came out quickly and the staff were super friendly. Impressed!

We followed the recommendations that this is a great place for ramen just to be disappointed. Very small selection (essentially just the flavor of the broth) and the special of the day chicken. Which was extremely dry. Be careful in the restroom as the air freshener is at eye level and sprays frequently. After getting the spray into my eye the waiter said that at least my eye now smells really good. No appologies or similar. We would not go again.

The Ramen place right opposite was better rated on Yelp, but had a long waiting lane therefore decided to go to Yamadaya and where not disappointed: quick service and good Ramen and Gyoza. Downside: the place is very dark and not too comfy.

This place is a real find among all that Japantown has to offer. Often a short wait for a table but well worth it. The ramen options are many and additional toppings are available. The also feature other foods like rice bowls and various appetizers. Something for everyone.

I've been here twice so far. The Yamadaya ramen (#1) is the one to get. The second time I went, I got the combo that includes salad and gyoza. It was a lot of food and I ended up packing up gyoza. I would definitely recommend this place - the best ramen place I've found yet.

Went here for lunch this past weekend and loved it. Although it was crowded we were seated quickly and our service was friendly and attentive throughout the meal. I got the shoyu ramen and my boyfriend got the spicy (Level 3) ramen. We both loved our meals but were a little disappointed the spicy ramen was not spicier - to us it only had an aftertaste of spicyness which was not expected based on the menu and our waitress' description. Regardless I would eat here again!

After a long days travelling we needed to feed two grumpy kids fast and this was perfect. Both the 6&9 year old loved the bento box and we loved the ramen. Great prices too!

In the place of an old Noodle joint this Ramen place is satisfactory withGood selection of Ramen the title dish is my Lots of interesting side dishes and large sunny dining hall Unfortunately they play some of the worst loud music you’ve ever heard pretty much destroying the atmosphere of what could be a great great restaurant

Best Ramen I've ever eaten...Seriously! Do yourself a favour and get here. There will be a line. Don't worry it's worth the wait. Read the rules board, and attack the ramen as soon as it lands in front of you. Nuff said. Enjoy. :))

This was our first meal when we arrived in Japantown and it wasn't disappointing. We were late arriving and weren't sure we would be served, but the staff was friendly and understanding. They let us eat in instead of taking our food away and were very helpful. they have vegan options which is awesome too.

Seeing a long queue, we decided to give this a try. The place was really small which probably explains the queue. There was limited individual tables and a big communal table in the middle of the restaurant. Having been to Japan many times, we weren't impressed with the ramen and gyoza. Eating hot soupy ramen in a place with practically no air-condition was a terrible idea.

We went today to try a Japanese food. Food was good. Services horrible. We were forced to sit in a huge table for ten people or more. I asked if we could sit by the window. The waiters said those tablets were for larger groups. Lol. Seriously? I saw group of two sitting on those tablets and we were only two. No going back to that restaurant.

Buchanan St. is a pedestrian-only block of restaurants, bars and shops right across the street from Hotel Kabuki. We found Ramen Yamadaya, a slow-cooked ramen restaurant on the second floor. The menu was mainly Japanese with a short English description on some items. I had the Tonkotsu Ramen with extra noodles, my wife had the Tonkotso Kotteri, served with a black garlic oil. We are now ruined for ramen anywhere else, as this was sooooooo good! The broth, the noodles, pork belly and eggs, it was incredible! We did commit a minor faux pas, asking for forks in lieu of chopsticks, but our server took pity on us, lol!

If you really want to go there, at least don't pay with credit card! I had dinner and paid the check leaving more than 25% tip. However my bank account transaction (no pending) showed an additional 20% more than what I signed! Will never come back!

One of the best ramen! We got the chicken and oyster appetizers. Delicious! The set up for getting a table was a little different. You sign in and the guy calls your name when a table is available for your party. Waited 20 mins or so on a Monday night.

Took a stroll down to little Japan in San Francisco and found this little place up stairs food was good atmosphere was great I just love Raman I went for the three heat wasn't even hot next I'll try the five heat.

We followed a couple of Local people to this ramen shop and it was so good. The soup is exceptional and the good for the price

Popped by this ramen shop when I walked around Japan town. I had a spicy miso. The soup broth was very rich but not spicy enough for me. But the quality of the ramen is very high, it’s elastic enough, with the soften pork belly and soft egg. Great warm comfort food for stomach.

If you are looking for a revommendation, GO HERE!!! I was in SFO for one night. Where I live in GA, there are no ramen places, so I always make sure I get ramen when I travel. I got the Yamadaya Shoyu. It had pork belly, chashu, nori , and all the usual toppings (they also offer other options). I got no eggs, cos I don't like eggs. The broth was creamy, opaque, thick, and totally delish. Not salty at all. The noodles were chewy perfection. I also got an order of gyoza and rice for an addt'l $5. They offer a list of options to create a "combo" for lunch. I went on a Sunday (June 5, 2017) at 2pm. Sat right down, and ordered. My food didn't take long at all. It is located upstairs, so be on the lookout. It is across from the peace center, on top of a shabu shabu restaurant. I will definitely be back next time I'm out this way!!!

good ramen house in J Town Sfo. Ordered thier spicy tonkotsu and it sure was spicy. My son ordered the shio (salt) tonkotsu and the broth had a smell - which we could do without .

I've been here to eat a ramen for dinner with my Japanese friend. He is from Osaka and according to him the ramen that we ate here was really close to the one that he eats in Japan. So if you want to taste the real ramen this is the place for you.

Ramen Yamadaya finally had the patience to wait first on the stairs then in the waiting area to finally dining at the middle shared table, remember the space from it's prior life as another generic Japanese restaurant (unexceptional except for it's upstairs location and a lot of built-in raised booths which were kept). Initially, were excited because Yamadaya had a high rating on Yelp, which has since gone down, can see why. Not a bad place, had the spicy ramen with small curry rice bowl and salad, ramen came first then a long wait for the curry and salad which was disappointing. Ramen was OK, curry rice was very good as was the salad. Must say we prefer Ramen Shalala across the Buchanan Street mall much better, and am never a fan of a big shared table though initially it looks good. Hard to say what they could do better though probably a complete remodel is in order: Blow out the whole interior and make a big open space, get rid of the space wasting small hallway to the bathrooms, make everything light and airy not black wood everywhere?

I tried the Kakuni Shio ramen. My spouse ordered the Yamadaya Shio ramen. We were both not impressed by the ramen. Broth was too salty. We were both disappointed after reading such glowing reviews of the ramen. My son tried the Salmon and Ikura Donburi. Thin slices of salmon. He said it was "just ok". Not likely to return.

Just visited yesterday this second floor Japanese restaurant in San Francisco in the Japantown sector of this incredible city. We both tried the ramen and it was of very high quality. The medium spiced level was unusually spiced but flavors and presentation in a rather nice ambiance completed a rather enjoyable gastro experience.

My wife and I shop often in Japantown at Nijiya Market (best Japanese market) and often have ramen for lunch on those days. We used to go to Tampopo, which is right next door to Yamadaya, but since this opened, we find it is better. It's sometimes crowded (line outside) but the line usually moves quickly, so don't worry even if there are a dozen or so ahead of you. Very good prices and hearty fare. The pickled eggs are very good. I had the special, only made once per week and it was delicious.

Upon a recommendation from a local friend, we had lunch and Yamadaya...and boy was he spot on. A seemingly long line moved fast and we were at a communal table with 15 mins (there are booths for larger parties and two communal tables). The service was quick but friendly and our waitress took the time to explain the menu to us. There are side items that can added to your Ramen at very reasonable costs. We shared the gyoza (delicious!) and salad before enjoying pork based Ramen with egg, bamboo, scallions and the most tasty piece of pork belly I have had. The soup broth was layered with flavor, the noodles were cooked perfectly and the garlic in the broth (optional) was subtle but added to the flavor profile. HIGHLY recommended for Ramen lovers!

poor quality and taste, definitely not recommended if you want to eat ramen in San Francisco, Even Mc donald’s would be a better option.

We visited for lunch and we're not disappointed. The ramen was the thinner variety of noodle, but the thicker is available upon request. My tonkatsu broth was wonderful, the bamboo shoots were slightly pickled, adding a nice, very slight refreshing rate and the spiced egg was about the best I've had (in this caucasian's humble opinion). The service was attentive and top rate. We loved the guide on the board as how to eat ramen; it was a light and humorous guide for the uninitiated. We would definitely go back.

This is a branch of a well known ramen chain. The food was good but not outstanding. The gyoza was delicious and cooked perfectly. Ramen was just OK. The broth was very, very salty. Very ham handed on the seasoning. Nothing subtle here. The quality of the pork chasiu was average. The noodles themselves were good - chewy and toothy. The service was super friendly and super efficient. The music was too loud and annoying. I guess the young clientele likes the music but it certainly doesn't add much. For $15-$18 I expect a better broth and higher quality ingredients. I asked a few friends and who have had authentic ramen (before it became trendy) and they felt the same. Just OK.

We were there during the time the Supreme Court lay down the law for gay marriage. Gay couples celebrated after their parade by coming to Ramen Yamadaya. By the time we got there, we were told that it was an hour-long wait. So, wait we did. When we got inside, there were very few tables, but so many enthusiastic diners. After taking a bite of my tonkatsu ramen with black chili garlic oil, I soon understood why. The noodles are firm but not hard, just solid enough to withstand a bite, but porous enough to absorb the flavor of the ramen pork bone soup. The broth is something to write home about. Good broth like theirs takes more than 24 hours to cook. You can taste all the meat, the bones, the veggies melded together in that brilliant concoction. If you want to go there for other food items, you're wasting your time. Get the ramen. It will change your life.

Good place for lunch if you happen to find yourself in Japantown. I ordered the fatty pork ramen and it was so delicious that I kept slurping way after I felt stuffed....

Never come back anymore! The manager is so rude. My friend ordered a ramen and with extra noodles (they put it on side, not in the soup). And they only give us little bit of soup so that is not gonna be enough for two noodles. So my friend asked the manager if he can get more soup, just little bit is enough. Later He brought him a big bowl of soup on side. When we got our bill, we found out that he charged the extra soup for $4.50 which it is not even said on the menu and he didn't tell us before. When we asked him, he was like there is no free lunch in the world and that is our rule, you guys have to pay for it no matter how. I never seen that before, he is the manager of the store but he doesn't care customers service, doesn't care his store reputation. I think you can find other restaurants better than this one based on the food.

I came here with some friends who'd never tried ramen before. I'm very glad this was there first experience. Although I didn't partake in ramen myself, the dishes they ordered were all delicious and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I had a rice bowl with salmon and roe which was incredible. We all ordered drinks and were very happy with the results. The service was also friendly and fairly quick. We didn't have to wait long and this turned out to be our favorite meal we had in Japantown. Would definitely go back!

Restaurant on the pedestrian street of the Japanese Quarter, indoor and outdoor tables, adequate prices. Good food and friendly staff.

I ordered the Spicy Ramen and wished that I would have upped the spice level to hot. We were seated at a large shared table that was tightly packed with other people making it a little too crowded for me. Overall it was good but could have been a better experience.

I have tried several Raman places on the city but this by far the best one! It's delicious! It's on Buchanan in Japan town. This will be the only place I get Raman! Cheers

We came to Yamadaya on a Monday at around 1pm. We were walking around Japan town looking for noodles and I remember reading a review of the place and decided to look at the menu. From what I've heard, this place can have a very long line for people waiting to eat here. We waited for about 7 minutes and were seated and orders taken promptly. There were private tables but we were sat at a communal table in the center of the restaurant.It's small --- only about 30 seats. The food comes quickly and is hot and pretty tasty, though not mind-blowingly awesome. My Ramen had a very healthy portion of pork but my wife's was disproportionately lacking. I gave her some of mine. I ordered spicy broth (death level) and my wife the regular. Mine was not really that spicy and her broth was a little bland. They have other options as well, so you're not pigeon-holed into ramen, but the other options are mostly fried or just pieces of pork they would otherwise put into the ramen. So as far as Ramen places go it's good. I would not wait longer than 15 minutes to be seated though.

just a filthy place. I understand it recently had an issue with SF health dept according to Yelp. service is poor, food was not good. I've learned that the general public is generally ill-informed.

Price was reasonable, food was good, service a little slow. The wait was OK, but the host waited a long time before taking us to our table even though it's been cleaned and ready.

For many years we frequented this second floor space that featured a great Japanese restaurant. It was a surprise to find a new owner and menu, and the overflowing crowd. One of our rules is that if there is a line, it must be good and that was certainly the case, We signed in the waiting list, located at the entrance and in a few minutes were called. The new owner/manager Abraham explained his menu and with his recommendation, we ordered what turned out to be really tasty ramen noodles and outstanding broth. I was totally impressed with the careful and interested management exhibited by Abraham and could see how this 2nd floor restaurant attracts so many that the line to be seated was constant during our entire saty. This is a terrific stop in Japan Town! Hint, if possible, get there before 7:00 to avoid the longer lines, but if you can't don't worry as the turnover is fairly fast. Also, if you are alone, or a couple, they have a large central sharing table where you can enjoy the food and perhaps meet some of the other interesting people who are customers. This central table had seats availble during the entire time we were enjoying our meal

Went to this small restaurant later in the evening. Quaint, small menu. Good service, food was decent, moderately priced (smoked egg?). wife didn't care for her spicy noodles, the rest was fine. Would go back again.

There is always a line at mealtime, it's cold inside (many customers have to keep their down jackets on), service is not particularly pro-active, so is it worth it? It's not bad, better than the ramen they serve at non-specialist ramen outlets, but not sublime. On a cold winter day, a bowl of Spicy Yamadaya ramen (3 levels: Fire, Hell, and Death; I went for Hell but that was quite bearable) would warm you up, even if it is served, alas, not piping hot. The chicken Kara-Age is moist.

The volunteer (Peter Yamamoto) at the Historical Museum recommended tis place for noodles. I had pork noodles, my wife had the vegan noodles. We enjoyed the meal, though the otherwise helpful waiter steered me toward two main dishes for lunch. The noodles are the same thickness as spaghettini.

If you ever go to Japan Town in SFO, don't miss eating ramen at this resto. You can really taste the authenticity of their ramen and of course their yakitori is just so good. No wonder there is always a long line of people waiting to be seated and who are willing to wait for good food and just the right price.

Went to Ramen Yamadaya with my mum after hearing about it from a friend. We had to wait about an hour outside to get a table for two, which was surprising considering it was a Monday evening. The wait was worth it though, amazing food! We both had the chicken bao buns and the yamada-ya ramen which tasted incredible! Would recommend for those willing to wait for a table.

Awesome place. Food was really good and they catered for our coeliac daughter. The staff were so helpful and when they learned we were on holiday were keen to share some local recommendations. Recommend for families and those looking for gluten free. There is also a really good Japanese market close by.

This place seems be the epitome of the new Ramen styles that are popping up everywhere. With a communal table in the middle, they make sure you're always part of the crowd. The flavors are above average and you definitely need to order a more complex Ramen to get the richness.

Walking through J-town, I looked at 3 ramen shops - Shalala Ramen, Tanpopo, and Yamada-ya Ramen. I settled on Yamada-ya since it looked a little more appealing and longer lines (hoping popularity would indicate quality and taste). I ordered the Yamadaya style RAMEN with Black Sesame oil, and Tori-Karaage/Fried Chicken. The chicken didn't stay crispy long (I prefer crispy) - but the flavor was really good! There were around 9-10 bite size pieces - I thought good portions and value. The ramen was good: noodles were accompanied by seaweed, BBQ pork, pork belly, pickled bamboo shoots, Thick, flavorful, rich, and oily broth - it takes time and lots of ingredients to create a soup that wonderful. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and plentiful. The cha-shu was good, not too fatty. The eggs were perfect. Service was good. Attentive. Although they made a mistake on my bill, it was quickly fixed. Only wish they served Mabo-men - Ramen with Mabo-tofu!

There are many excellent restaurants in San Francisco's Japantown, but if you're craving a bowl of ramen look no further: Ramen Yamadaya has amazing ramen and, if you're lucky to get one of the window seats, a great view of the Buchanan Street plaza and Peace Plaza. The cheezy pop music is a little loud, but that's typical for this type of place--high volume, lots of people coming & going. Hey, you're there for the ramen and boy, do they deliver! Attentive service. Overall, a great spot.

A Japanese friend recommended this restaurant to me--she said ramen lovers would like this place. And she was right. I visited this restaurant (just for its ramen) a few times now; of course I tried other dishes too, and still think its ramen is most worthy of mentioning. There are only a couple really good ramen restaurants in San Francisco, and this is one of them. Having lived in Japan, I could tell that Yamadaya's ramen is close enough to the real deal. Meat lovers would enjoy the pork in the ramen, big and fat. Soup is very tasty. Dish sizes are big enough to keep you full for hours. Price is reasonable too. And service is courteous. There are booths and communion style seatings to choose from. Next-to-window seats highly recommended for groups with kids. It's a good idea to avoid high-demand mealtimes, 12pm-1pm for lunch, 6-7pm for dinner. Upon arrival (2nd floor), write your name & number of people in your party on clipboard next to door, and wait in the waiting area. The staff will call when they're ready to seat you.

Came here for a late lunch with a toddler, and we both loved it. Service was okay - would've been better if they'd brought our edamame right away (hungry kid is angry kid), but overall I shouldn't complain. The food was pretty incredible. The kid even ate it cold for dinner the next night.

Yummy ramen to be had at this Japantown eatery. I'd definitely reccomend it and would make it a regular stop on my travels if I lived in the area. My husband really enjoyed our Tonkotsu style ramen.

Finally I have Ramen in San Francisco , just by Japan Town. Love the Ramen , my brother had spicy Ramen😄 and beer. I definitely recommend this place.Staffs are friendly .

During our stay in SF we visited this restaurant twice. We had the tonkotsu ramen. The base was not too strong and the noodles had the right size.Taste was also good, service was fast and polite. The gyoza we had were also good and I believe they were hand made. Overall it our visits were a good experience and the ramen were good.

It was our last evening in San Francisco and we had just spent the last hours of the afternoon checking out the shops in the Japantown malls. We were now hungry and wanted to eat something before leaving the city to continue our roadtrip so we consulted Trip Advisor and found this spot with good reviews so after waiting a few minutes to be sat we ordered our ramen and some sake to toast our departure. Our ramen soups arrived hot and flavorful with delicious pieces of pork belly,seaweed and seasoned egg...all washed down with a wonderful nigori sake- just the meal we needed to say "sayonara" to Japantown and San Francisco!

Late Sunday afternoon, we walked up the stairs to Yamadaya past the almost empty place below. About a dozen people waiting, and they have an effective queueing system where you register your name and phone on a tablet, and you get a text when the table is ready. Only took 10 minutes or so to get in. Gyoza starter, and two different pork ramen dishes - so rich and delicious. Some sake to complete a great meal. This place in the heart of Japan Town is definitely worth the effort. Great service too.

I had the spicy pork belly ramen, and it did not disappoint! Very flavorful! Great atmosphere- was craving an authentic Japanese ramen and I found it!

We are from Hawaii and have our share of good ramen. This qualifies as good. All the ramen is good. The Geso (deep fried octopus) is a steal at $7. Add a side of gyoza and salad for only $5. My daughter added a salad and salmon and ikura only for $5 more. Huge portions. There will be a line so go before 5 pm.

really fun place - a little loud, but tasty ramen! good service, in a fun neighborhood - went on a sunday afternoon and had a great time!

It's all about the broth...but it's all about the environment and staff as well, and both are great. Whether it's a sit down in one of the booths, or a quick meal around the noodle bar, this place has a menu with a good flow, superb broth, and they also have a vegetarian ramen that's surprisingly tasty. This place was once called Iroha, which I also enjoyed, but Yamadaya not only filled the shoes but surpassed in many ways.

The place is really quaint and well decorated. The communal table has a tiny landscaped Buddha garden in the middle. They offer a number of broths, including vegan (miso and sesame oil). I got the Shio with their standard topping. Everything was good, but somehow I think they probably need more salt in the broth. Noodles are fresh and perfectly cooked. I might try other broth options (spicy ones) next time.

As what they posted, once it is served don't wait! Drink and eat up! We ordered the most popular one with the 4 meat and the char Sui and broth was good! Way good! It's also filling! Side dish of the octopus balls were yummy! The inside was creamy and when eaten right after being served- you go to heaven good! It also had the octopus pieces! Pricy but well worth it!

This place is amazing, the broth is out of this world and all the noodles and meats are fresh. Everyone complaining about the wait obviously don't know that good food takes time. Don't pass this place up, try it for yourself!

I'm no ramen expert, but let me tell you, Ramen Yamadaya makes a great bowl of it. Their broth takes almost a full day to make and it is so good...rich and flavorful. I especially like the spicy version, which you can get in various levels of spice. If you are anywhere near Japantown and are hankering for a bowl of ramen, you won't go wrong coming here.

I've been visiting SF Japantown since high school, and the one thing that they never had was a go-to restaurant. Well, this is my personal go-tp spot. The star of the menu is the Tonkotsu Ramen broth. So very very good. Make sure you order extra noodles, and ask for fresh garlic. And be ready to wait in line. This place is very popular.

Had a craving for ramen, so a Japanese friend recommended Ramen Yamadaya, and brought me here because I wanted tonkotsu ramen(made from pork). The menu basically has four choices of ramen flavours and a good variety of toppings. There are other rice and side dishes to choose from. I had the shio(salt) ramen with the recommended house toppings and a bowl of plain price, while my friend also had the shio ramen, but with BBQ pork toppings. They were both very tasty and took care of my craving until my next visit to the area.

Excellent ramen, great lunch for vacationing families visiting Japantown. Very busy but efficient, wait time was very short. Staff was very friendly, highly recommend!

We went here on a Saturday night so there was a bit of a wait, but not unexpected and certainly not excessive. The service was prompt once we were seated and our food was definitely worth the wait. As a traveler to Japan in the past, this was still the best ramen I've ever eaten.

We’ve had ramen at many restaurants in several cities. This is my favorite! The rich, meaty bone broth stands out. Service is brisk but efficient and helpful.

Lovely host that served us. Ramen were great. Nice atmosphere and the music selection (90ies R&B) made it even better.

Service was speedy- a little hard to find (it’s on the second floor) so you think may think it’s closed but it’s definitely not. When we come back, we’ll definitely stop here. Great lunch special.

This is a very nice place down in Japan Town San Francisco. We sat down and had some greatvRamen. The service was fast and good. The food was delicious. The ambiance was very nice and local....

People were lined up out the door Sunday morning, so I thought I was in for a great meal. I ordered the basic pork ramen. The broth was wonderful, I must say, but the pork was cold.

I've had Ramen a few other cities (Chicago, Nashville, Orlando) but Ramen Yamadaya was the best! Huge portions with delicious variety, friendly staff and good location. If you like Ramen, I highly recommend Ramen Yamadaya.

In the Japanese Center area. Well rated. We went for lunch around 1230pm and we had to wait for about 10-15 minutes. The place was packed. Excellent menu options. We had Garlic Edamame, Gyoza pork, Spicy Ramen and Spicy Miso Ramen. Yummy stuff. Will visit again.

The ramen is excellent, and we appreciated the ability to choose the tyoes of broth, meat, and toppings. For example, those who don't eat pork can choose a vegan option or an all-chicken option. The desserts were excellent, too!

This could be a good alternative to the restaurants inside the Japantown mall if you are craving for some good ramen. I went there after the lunch hour rush so there was no waiting. The service was attentive, but it took a while for my order to come. The broth was hot and rich, but they could've added more ingredients in the soup. The noodle is on the soft side and the quantity is not very much. If I come here next time, I might order the extra noodle option. The half boiled egg is just so so. (I usually judge the worthiness of a ramen by the way they cook the boiled egg.) Overall it was a good experience, but there is definitely room for improvement.

I am not an expert on Ramen but this great to the extreme. I had the Kakuni Kotteri and my wife had the Yamadaya Kotteri, they were both VERY good!!!

The broth tastes good. If that's your aim then go here. However, the stuff in it.... we had chicken. Don't. God knows what it is or where it came from... the other meat product I think was pork but was suspiciously like a KFC crispy something or another. This place is basically a Raman fast food option. We were not looking for that kind of experience so we were disappointed but if you are then you might like it. I mean eggs and bacon in noodle broth -we should have twigged right! 😁 They bang out the food, it's a fairly charmless venue but not unpleasant. The meal was $50 for 2 adults and a kid. Service is fine. Lemonade tastes synthetic. The toilets are smelly and less than clean. Overall I left worried about GI upset but I've been fine so far at 24 hours....

We used to enjoy having ramen here however, lately, we noticed that customers are made to wait quite a while outside the restaurant even if there are a lot of empty tables. Why? Also, there is one male server there (the one who wears eye glasses), who seems to be angry all the time. He does not make his customers feel welcome at all! He seems to abhor what he is doing - this makes the ramen turn sour even before we take our first slurp!