4. Restaurants

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

1 Bow St, Cambridge, MA, 02138
  • (617) 945-1460
  • Store is closed

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Menu

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  • Mike Z.

    Holy shiot, I should have Googled "shio" before actually ordering this signature shio chashu dish. As many others have pointed out, the broth is immensely salty. The slices of pork were tender and tasty, but overly salty as well. Turn the shio down a notch and it should be a fairly scrumptious meal. The interior & decor is modern, chic, and roomy for a ramen joint, how about that for a change? The service was prompt and friendly. I was particularly impressed with the waitlist system; they input your name and mobile # into their iPad and you'll get a link on your phone that tracks your quoted and actual wait time. A text will alert you of your awaiting table once ready. How about that? A restaurant that actually takes good advantage of technology in 2015. Alas, my wait time was over an hour during the dinner rush. I noticed the wait time was quite a bit shorter near closing. There's a small piece on Santouka on the Boston Eater about Santouka's CEO being surprised at the $15 ramen prices in Boston and goes on to say that ramen should be, and I quote: "...a cheap comfort food for you to have with a beer after a long day". What happened to that idea? The base price of a regular-sized bowl of ramen here fares between $11-15+ without the addition of any sides. All in all, it was a long wait for a pricey bowl of over-salted ramen in a fairly comfortable atmosphere. I may try a different bowl of ramen (non-shio) during the non-peak hours in the future and can only hope that it's not excessively salty.

    (3)

  • Jini H.

    The ramen here is probably the best I've had in Boston so far, and I'm pretty sure nowhere else can beat this place anytime soon. I love how nice it looks from both the outside and the inside. A little pricey for a bowl of ramen but no regrets! One thing though, I ordered the Shoyu flavor, and it got a little too flavorful for me about two-thirds of the way in. But overall, I'd say this place wins for the best authentic Japanese ramen in the Boston area. The server was also super friendly and helpful, so definitely a plus for service!

    (5)

  • Robert R.

    Yay! Good ramen finally comes to Harvard Square. Went for lunch on a cold winter's afternoon and ordered the Shio ramen. Flowed over my tongue and landed in my belly like a ten megaton umami bomb. The perfect tonic against these bleak winter days. Cool space, too. I really dig the desk lamp chandalier.

    (5)

  • Lala I.

    best bowl of ramen in bean. nuff said.

    (5)

  • Sammy S.

    The food/service is quite good but the pork portions are completely unacceptable. If they could be more generous with the pork portions I will revisit.

    (2)

  • Suzanne L.

    Delicious! Cheapest ramen is $11.25, FYI. They have a handy text service for your wait, which is pretty cool. Have a drink next door at Grafton while you wait!

    (4)

  • Snowdrops C.

    Simply love the ramen here! =) Great service. Authentic and sweet broth. A little on the pricey side, but totally worth it.

    (4)

  • Chad K.

    At long last, a great and traditional Tonkotsu Ramen (pork base) place in Cambridge!!! Other ramen places in the Boston/Cambridge area are ok-good, but Santouka is now the standard by which I will measure other places in Boston. TOTTO Ramen - too thick, Pikaichi Ramen - good but only chicken base, Yume Wo Katare - pork base (non-traditional), Sapporo Ramen- good but only chicken base. Santouka offers a traditional ramen broth full of rich, savory, collagen-y?, porky flavor and two types of char siu (pork belly and cheek) which are extremely tender and flavorful. The noodles have a nice snap to them but the accompanying sides such as egg, preserved veggies, corn and pork cheek are ala cart for a few extra dollars. The menu is limited at the moment because it had a soft opening but our server assured us dessert and appetizer items will be featured on the full menu. I'm happy to have a great Ramen place in Boston and will no longer have to travel to NYC, to get my fix. I will be back for sure and I'm eager to try the rest of the menu!

    (5)

  • Will C.

    I went here with my wife this past Friday. about an hour wait but once you get past the first wave of people they will text you when your table is ready. I like the tech approach to the process. Santouka was very good, worth the wait. A bit pricey but the taste is very authentic. Cha Shu (fatty pork belly) was very good, not quite melt your mouth like NYC but better than any place in Boston. The broth was excellent. Although with tonkatsu, it started to get heavy towards the end. My wife got the shoyu, it was very good and light in comparison. I would definitely come back and try other types.

    (5)

  • TinoX T.

    Good Place,Good food,Something Different

    (3)

  • Thuy N.

    I had been so excited about the whole Santouka Ramen thing, as everyone was talking about it. Who wouldn't go for trends? This past evening, I got my friends ready, requested an Uber, on its way, about to pick us up, and decided to give the restaurant a call because we wanted to make sure we would not go there for nothing. We could predict somehow the restaurant would be packed. However, we just wanted to confirm how long we had to wait first before we actually came there. Traffic was bad. My friends had to be back early because they had things to work on. Thus, we could not afford 2-3 hour wait. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW QUICK THINGS CAN CHANGE IN 5 MINUTES UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE WHAT I DID. The people on the phone were rude. I asked them about 5 times if the restaurant was packed, just to be sure that if they said yes, i would ask them how packed it was. They kept on saying they couldn't hear me, while I was screaming and rephrasing "Is It Packed?" in different ways because I thought they couldn't understand me. Then, the girl over the phone passed it to another guy, who laughed at my question (I guess it was stupid for him, and for some of you who actually like it there), and asked me sarcastically: "It's a Friday night. What do you think *hahaha*?" After that, he suddenly hung up. So I decided not to go anymore. Maybe not on a Friday night. Maybe on a weekday. Or, maybe not at all, because the restaurant is always PACKED, that I sound so stupid and redundant asking such an obvious question, which I could find the answer on Yelp, instead of calling the restaurant and being turned into a fool.

    (1)

  • John D.

    Place is small, like really small. Don't bother going in with more than 5 people because the wait WILL be long. Noodles were okay. Like they were from HMART. Reminded me of the korean nongshim shin ramyun, except a bit better. I love nongshim shin ramyun doe LOL. maybe they're freshly made, I wouldn't be able to tell. Broth is EH. Quite bland to be honest. The spicy one isn't even spicy. I needed to add a lot more spicy powder to make it more enjoyable. When I was done with everything and started to drink the soup, it felt "heavy". I can't describe it any better sorry. It still lacked flavor but I didn't really enjoy it... Didn't even finish the broth. It tasted really strange at the end. The meat is okay. There tends to be a lot of fat. The pork cheek is really nice compared to the pork belly. I think the pork belly wasn't really great. It didn't have the melting feeling like I did at Ippudo. But has a lot of fat. 2/3 fat. 1/3 meat. For the normal bowls listed on the back of the menu, you only get 2 slices of meat, which is not enough! I think it's another $5 for extra meat which doesn't seem really worth it either. To get a soft boiled egg it's an additional $2. It's an egg and it didn't really change the experience so I wouldn't recommend. Inside the broth was a slice of seaweed, a little white piece being a pink swirly thing. And bamboo shoots. At first the bamboo wasn't a problem until the end. I got really sick of it. But ate it anyways.... Also comes in 3 sizes; regular sized, small for $1 less, and large for $1 more. There was a noticeable difference between small vs large but I couldn't really tell about the medium vs large. Service was nice. Not like there were any problems. Food came out pretty quickly. We even got a water bottle to refill our own waters and I loved that! Much more convenient. Personally I didn't mind eating here because it wasn't a terrible experience, but it is a bit pricey for ramen. Maybe it was so good because it was so cold LOL. It fit right in the stomach doe.

    (3)

  • Han Y.

    I will never come back. The waiting rules are insane. We were a party of four and were put into a huge table to sit as a line, which literally made communication become impossible. No water provided until we asked. The guy that arranged for seating was quite rude.

    (1)

  • Lisa D.

    I love how steaming hot the ramen here is - and I actually mean temperature wise. I've had places where the ramen comes out hot but then cools down fairly quickly and it makes the meal less enjoyable. The ramen here stays hot throughout your meal. I've only had the shio tonkatsu here and it's delicious. The broth is very flavorful and rich and the pork slices are soft and buttery tasting. My only complaint is that it's a bit on the salty side, but overall still really good for a rainy day..or any day really. Is there such thing as a bad day for ramen? The restaurant is fairly large so I've never had too much of a problem with wait. I heard it can be a while though if you come with a large group. The food comes out fairly quickly - perfect if you're hungry and impatient!

    (4)

  • Meep M.

    Are people even serious about their reviews? Have you never had ramen before? Sure, it was okay. But the ramen was closer to soggy then al dente. The portions were tiny. Nothing was included, egg, etc. Although Boston isn't big on ramen places yet, there are so many better options that give you decent portion per price. I much rather make an Asian style cup of noodles then waste my money here again. If this is the same chain as the location in Toronto, I liked that one better, but even that one wasn't awesome.

    (3)

  • Summer Z.

    Those rated this place over 3 stars definitely never tried at 2:00pm. Too Salty! Slow and not paying attention service really annoyed me. We ordered 1 small and 3 large noodles but got 1 regular and 2 large and 1 don't-know-what-that-is. I was kept waiting for the bill over 5 minutes while people seemed not that busy. Worth only one time shot.

    (2)

  • L W.

    Expect a wait, so do not go very hungry. They have a terrific system of taking down your cell number and texting you when your table is ready, so you don't feel tethered to staying in the restaurant during your wait. I thought the food was well worth the wait. Absolutely delicious. We ordered the extra side of pork belly/cheek and it was incredible. Very kid friendly. They didn't mind that we just shared our bowl with our 5 year old and didn't order anything separate for her. They also had some nifty kid plates and silverware. Delicious dining experience, especially if you are already expecting to wait.

    (5)

  • Teresa S.

    I have been dying to try some ramen and this place had better reviews than Wagamama so I decided to give them a try. They seemed busy but fortunately it was only a 15 minute wait on a Saturday night! They take your mobile number and text you when your table is ready. (Love.) Our waiter was named Doung, he was very friendly and provided my bf and I with great service. Made our first experience great! Food was delicious. I got the spicy ramen and my partner had the miso ramen. We added an egg to our noodles. You can pretty much add anything with an extra fee. The bf loved his choice, as did I! The place overall is super clean, organized and friendly. I can't wait to come back!

    (5)

  • Stefan B.

    The best!!!! Finally in boston!!!!!! The wait is long but worth it. They text you when your table is ready. The bookstore next door is really fun to wander in and the wait goes by really quickly when you're in there. I've been to the one at Mitsuwa Market on Centinela in LA and I'd say it's the same taste. The one here is more of a restaurant while the one back in LA is more food court. The only thing is that the food takes so much longer here and the one in LA is so quick. I guess they need time to get more streamlined and stuff. Parking SUCKS in Cambridge. Walk to Mike's Pastry after. ~ So happy they have this here REMEMBER always get special pork!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Chan C.

    Service, excellent (I know today is your second day, but I did get some personal attention, so I give you a 5 on it). Water, excellent. I am impressed because it is not tap water. Good ramen needs to accompany with good water. Architecture, pretty modern, like! Ok, now it is the ramen part. You have the best broth I have ever had, it is sophisticated, and I can tell it was pork bones or chicken bones cooked for a long time. However, it was a bit salty for me. Cha shiu pork is excellent, 5 star, definitely preserved the essence flavor of pork. Noodle, meh, I didn't like it, 3 star, maybe it tastes a bit bitter, and it didn't absorb the flavor from the broth well. Overall, it is definitely a good place for good ramen. I will go again, and hopefully you could provide more ramen option.

    (4)

  • Iannis R.

    The. Best. Ramen. In. Boston. And it's in the gastronomically dead Harvard Square, nonetheless! My go-to dish here is a big steaming bowl of Hokkaido-style tonkotsu shio ramen. As the menu says, "deep layers of umami" coat your maw with yummy porkiness that will last you the day through. There are common tables with happy customers delightfully slurping, and small tables for couples or groups. I'm looking forward to seeing their full menu at their grand opening.

    (5)

  • Yuting D.

    The food is good, especially the shio ramen. As a ramen lover, I am satisfied. It is on the expansive side, since the regular one will cost you about 13 bucks. I often go with the smaller one, which is 1 dollar less. The environment is really Americanized: the way they arrange the table will tell you this. And I found it weird to speak "welcome" in Japanese. They could do better than that:-)

    (4)

  • Juliet C.

    My roommate was the one that told me to try Santouka because it's a famous Japanese chain & it has meat that melts in your mouth. I was a bit disappointed. I got the shio ramen, and my friends got the kara miso. If you do go, get the kara miso. The meat was good, but it wasn't amazing. Once I bit into the meat, I wasn't consumed with thoughts of "O M G SO CHEWY AND IT TASTES LIKE HEAVEN". It was more like "Alright, it's meat." The soup base was way too salty. WAAAAAAY TOO SALTY. I like to drink my ramen soup, but I just couldn't with this one. WAAAAAAY TOO SALTY. Once they have a full menu, I might come back and try some other things.

    (3)

  • z k.

    I'd like to give a better review to what seems like a lovely ramen shop located ideally near the heart of Harvard Square; however, I couldn't eat there. After waiting 20 minutes for a table (they took my number, then texted me whilst I walked around the square) and sitting down - I discovered the menu had no vegetarian items - in fact nothing without pork in it. Now, perhaps I've grown soft and accustomed to find something, anything I can eat in any random restaurant - but I was surprised and disappointed by Santouka. Some kind of heads-up would've been nice. Good luck pork eaters! Santouka seems like a lovely place.

    (3)

  • Ken H.

    I have been to a few Santouka's in North America, and all of them are very good. Santouka in Harvard Sq is no exception. They serve Tonkotsu style ramen, which is a creamy pork base broth. Everything about the ramen is an easy 4/5 stars, except the noodles. The broth, pork, braised egg, and veggies are all very good. Why not the noodles? Because it's prepackaged made from a mass producer. I bring home the same noodles from Super 88 or Hmart supermarket. Totto in Allston makes very similar style of noodles, but I would have to say that Santouka is better. The location is good and decor is excellent. The service, however, is lacking. And when I say "lacking" I'm giving them some leeway since they just opened and their staff is new. If they were open for 6 months, I'd be giving them 1 star for service and fire the manager, but since they're new, I'll give them 2 stars for service and another chance. All of the servers really didn't know what their priorities were. I watched many people wait to be seated when there were open tables, wait for the server to take their order (about 10 min average time from sitting down to ordering food), wait for their check to be delivered (10-15 mins from obviously finishing their meal to getting a check), and picking up the check (5-10 mins). So, at least a half dozen people around me and myself wasted around 30 mins doing nothing (Facebook, CNN and Clash of Clans FTW!). The only person who seemed to be doing anything was the bus-boy. He was the only person clearing and wiping down all of the tables (not to mention stocking the fridge and a ton of other things). The servers seemed too busy to sit people down, wipe the tables or get paid (i.e. pickup the check), but not too busy to tell the bus-boy to clean and wipe the tables. Not once did I see anyone's tea be refilled (I'm talking the entire restaurant), without specifically asking the staff. Hopefully, the staff figures things out and get their priorities straight. Since this place is new, I'll forgive all of the staffing and service issues. Tips: Don't wait for the staff to take your order, give you your check or pick up your check. If you need more water or tea, ask a staff. Be proactive. Go here for the ramen, not the service. The ramen is very good! Note: All of the staff were very nice and polite, they just need more training, so the manager(s) need to step up and get it done!

    (4)

  • Lily L.

    The ramen is way too salty. We had two classic flavored ones and we both agree they are too salty. Also the tea system is kinda broken. Ordered on cup of hot tea (free refill) and the cup is small, which is fine, but the waitress didn't refill much so the experience is worse than having a pot of tea. The meat is good, staff is nice, the waiting-texting system is great.

    (2)

  • Jeffrey L.

    Pretty amazing that Boston finally gets legit Ramen, I remembered having this at Mitsuwa in CA and it was great , still just as great here. The decor is a little too hipster, very modern and chic but strange for a ramen joint however the food is still authentic and flavorful. Really a must visit for anyone that likes Ramen or Asian food in general and arguably the best Ramen in MA now.

    (5)

  • Audrey C.

    Good solid ramen. Have tried the same chain in Hong Kong and it's pretty consistent from what I remember. Small little things would make it better like the egg was a little too overcooked. Has the Kara miso (spicy) and it was the perfect amount of spice. Service was pretty fast and quick. I'm a huge fan of their waiting system -- we got there on a Sunday night and was told it would be an hour long wait. I left my number and everything is automated -- they text you and leave you a link to show when you checked in and how many people are ahead of you. Then when a table is ready, they'll send a text to let you know. If you're nearby, after about five minutes and you haven't shown up, they'll call from an automated number and give you two options, 1 to confirm you're on your way and 2 to cancel. In reality we waited about 30 minutes. Tables turnover pretty quickly.

    (4)

  • Lily W.

    My two friends and I stopped by for a Tuesday lunch and still had to wait for a table, but there was only one party ahead of us and we were seated and greeted very quickly by a smiley waitress. There are several options for ramen, as well as several sizes. I got the original signature ramen, and my other two friends ordered the shoyu and the miso. The miso is advertised as spicy but I didn't find it so at all. When the food came, I watched the waiter slip and slide the bowls on those hugely inconvenient slippery black plates (who at Santouka thought this would be a good idea? Y'all should petition for less slippery serving plates, I seriously feared it would jump right off and empty itself onto my friend). We passed these around--there is a distinctive flavor to each, the broth in all of them is just the right amount of flavorful and creamy without being over-rich. My small portion only came with one piece of pork, but they warned me about this beforehand so I was okay with that. The noodles are springy and have a nice bite to them--ramen at other places tends to get soggy very quickly, but the noodles here are not like that. My pickled plum was very cute and very sour. Service was attentive and efficient, and by the end of our meal, there were not very many patrons.

    (4)

  • John G.

    The ramen was great* but it made me sleepy. I went straight home and to bed after dinner. If you go to Santouka and there is a wait, they will text you when your table is ready. I went to The Harvard Book Store and looked at books I didn't buy. *Much better than Top Ramen!!!

    (4)

  • Minju K.

    Their ramen is pretty good and I like that you can choose different portions. I personally like another place in porter or Allston better but this ramen is def above average. I love the interior design and feel of the restaurant. They put a lot of effort into making it more authentic. I would come here again only during the weekdays for dinner since we still had to wait for 20 minutes on a thursday!

    (4)

  • Tony F.

    The ramen noodles was very good just as good as Yume wo katare. Though I have to say the waiter Brandon I think his name was is very cute and super nice. The food is already awesome but I would go back with awesome staff like Brandon. He is the type of server I would tip 20 bucks or more and fee like I underpaid for his awesome personality.

    (5)

  • Kristina N.

    This is delicious ramen. Worth the 40 minute wait, which they already make easier by notifying you by text when your table is ready. It's surprisingly large inside. The broth is the best I've tasted so far in Boston, and everyone in my group was happy with the bowls we got (spicy, miso, shio). Bowls come with the usual bamboo shoots, seaweed and pork, but you have to order extra for an egg. So happy this is here!

    (4)

  • Andrew W.

    3.5/5. Rounded down due to really uncomfortable chairs, bad seating arrangement and horrible service. Usually overly packed (use text messaging to tell ur spot in line!). Come around 2-4 to avoid a ridiculous wait. May be a bit saltier for some people. Broths a bit similar but delicious. Food 4/5. Service 1/5. Atmosphere 3/5. Atmosphere: I was excited to try a new ramen place as it just opened up. Its really hard to have a decent ramen in Boston for some reason. Like any new rest this place was jammed packed the first time I came. The second time was during down time which was a lot better. Both times I came i noticed how close eat seat was which lacked privacy. Additionally, the seat are really uncomfortable to a point it actually annoys me when im eating. 3/5 Service: 1/5 Except for the really nice hostess, the service is horrible. x2 I came i never got my water, had to ask for refills, had to ask for my bill, had to ask for them to pick up my bill etc...With all the waiters and waitress they hire, wth are they doing? Food: The ramen is very traditional with a thick and very salty broth. A lot of people dont like its saltiness but I like it because thats how it usually is in Japan. If you have a problem with it add some water and its fine. I ordered their signature and spicy ramen. Both tasted really great, and the noodles are cooked to your order which i prefer them to be a bit more harder. The broth you could tell was layered extremely well and the pork belly was very soft and packed with flavor. However, though they claim the broths of the sig and spicy are very different, to me it tasted a a bit the same which was a small let down. The only saving grace is i like the broth. I did not order any sides. All in all each bowl is 12 bucks +1 large (a lot more) -1 ( a bit less). If your really hunger pay the extra 1. If your hungry but not starving the regualr size is perfect trust me. I ended up paying about 15 bucks per bowl + tip and tax. I think I would come again during cold weathers, down time and and a regular bowl for a 13 dollar lunch. 4/5.

    (3)

  • James K.

    Great Ramen. Nice setting. Definately going again.

    (5)

  • Cynthia L.

    Knowing the ins and out of Harvard Sq, when I saw this brand new restaurant, I had to give it a shot. Food is good - I ordered the Tonkotsu Toroniku Ramen; tender pork cheek meat, which was lean but fatty at the same time (if that sounds reasonable at all). I went with the Shoyu broth, which tasted superb. They say that they spend a long time making and refining that soup in particular. However, no vegetarian option. Also, the wait was absurd - I'm guessing it's because it's brand new and it's still hyped up. So everyone's coming in to eat. It's a bit pricy but it's worth it if you love Japanese food.

    (4)

  • Willa D.

    I went here yesterday. This was my first time trying authentic Japanese ramen (as opposed to the instant kind which I am quite fond of). I thought it was awesome. I got the shio ramen. The broth was rich and delicious, the pork belly was tender and surprisingly flavorful; the noodles were good too. Absolutely recommend.

    (5)

  • Andrea L.

    Not the best ramen I've had but pretty good for such a convenient location. Went on a Monday at 1:10 pm and was able to get seated immediately. I had the spicy miso ramen, which didn't have much stuff in it - but I realized too late that I should have added an egg and other toppings. The flavor was good, just really salty. I'll definitely ask for less salt next time, but OK lunch experience overall.

    (4)

  • Godwin Y.

    First few bites were great. Soon after though, I realized the ramen was real salty. An hour after the meal, my number one was a color I'd never seen before. Sorry if this is TMI, but I thought it was important to share. If you care about your health, avoid eating here because the ramen has way too much MSG and salt. As much as I love ramen, I won't be coming back here again.

    (3)

  • Cindy H.

    Great location and service, but I found the broth to be disappointing. I got the Tonkotsu Kara Miso, which was way more salty than spicy. The noodles were good and the amount they gave was decent too (I supersized and got a large for an extra dollar). Even being the hungry beast I am, I gave the rest of my bowl to my friend. The soup was just way too much for me. The pork was a bit fatty, but that was to my liking. I wouldn't call this place cheap. A soda is $2 while the special combos (bonus meat among other sides like corn/butter) are a whopping ~$16. I'll stick to my usual place - Sapporo in Porter.

    (3)

  • mari m.

    FOOD: Delicious if a bit pricey for chain ramen. DRINK: No alcohol at this place, which is a real drag. AMBIANCE: Chain-like I'd recommend this place as a quick stop for lunch. The lack of a bar -- even beer and wine -- is a major strike against it.

    (3)

  • Michelle C.

    For those of you who are familiar with the infamous Yume Wa Katare further down Mass Ave in Porter Square, with its ridiculously rich broth and fatty delicious pork slices, here's a comparison. The broth was definitely much lighter than the Yume broth (but I think few things are as dense and rich as Yume broth). The noodles had more snap to them, and the pork was 50/50 fat/lean. It was good, not the best that I've had, but pretty delicious. Average. A little salty, but something that I'd be able to say, "Oh, I'd eat that again soon!" whereas Yume is like a once per semester or year kind of indulgence. Good for a quick ramen fix. Go for the soft-boiled egg too.

    (3)

  • Ben L.

    INCREDIBLE RAMEN! me and my friends had agreed that this is one of the best places for ramen in boston and knowing a few japanese people, completely agree as well. I looked around the restaurant and you can really see that its so modernized how the restaurant is, very silver. its quite spacious there and it necessarily has the right fit of people in there other than typical cramped ramen places. I also looked around even more to see in the kitchen and what did i think to myself? japanese guys who have serious looks in their face to perfect the art of ramen making with their headbands. they are business. all jokes aside, ordering the ramen, I was a little concerned about the prices we pay. this may be the best, but it is also the most expensive place. $2 for an egg? i see a little unnecessary on other items as well. but as for the ramen, touches the soul!! the noodles to me are perfect, having the chew and solidness. makes me think if they make the noodles right in the store! for the broth? wow.... i had good broth everywhere and every ramen eater knows that drinking it is a extremely bad health benefit. and other places i had, i drink a little bit and then knowing that its bad, i stop. but for this place specially, i didnt care at all! i drank every single drop and would of licked the bowl clean!!. Service was incredible as well. servers always smiling and wiling to help and talk about the ramen. great help they trained their staff on. I totally would give this 5 stars if they maybe have each of their ramen a few dollars cheaper but thats it! incredible place!

    (4)

  • Yuki S.

    everything's good. i just prefer Yume wo katare than here. WARNING, ramen in yume is pretty salty.

    (4)

  • Taylor T.

    The broth is little too salty, 4.5 star overall; 3.5 for the food, 1 for the service and the environment.

    (5)

  • Larry R.

    This place is okay. Just okay. The soup was really good. I had the shio. I've always found Santouka's shio ramen to be the tastiest. I've eaten at several Santoukas, both in the US and in Japan, and prefer the shio. It had the texture, and greasy, fatty flavor of the pork bones that tonkotsu ramen is suposed to have, and it's got just the right amount of salt. The chashyu actually tasted just like the chashyu at all the other Santoukas, so that is good, because I like their chashyu. Though I find their chashyu to be more like thin sliced kakuni, which I also like. My issue is with their noodles. The noodles at the cambridge spot are not the same noodles served in Japan, or even in NJ. These noodles were thicker, and wavy, unlike the regular Santouka noodles that are thin, straight, and white in colour. These noodles have an eggier flavor, while the regular Santouka noodles are more delicate in flavor. These noodles were slightly over cooked, and got soggy in the soup quickly. The service was very good, and the waitress very polite, and attentive. I thought the food was a little slow in coming out. Ramen shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to prepare, but this place is busy, so that probably accounts for that. Anyway, it wasn't a long wait, just a bit slower than what I expect at a ramen-ya. Would I go back, again? Hell yes. It still tastes good, and like I said, the soup was really good, and for me, the soup is the highlight. And if you haven't figured it out from this review, I love ramen, eat a lot of it when I'm travelling, both here in the US and in Japan.

    (3)

  • Cindy C.

    I know how people liked their pork. To be honest, their pork is pretty good. I think I have pretty high standard for ramen. And I would put more weight on the soup and the noodle. And that's why I'm giving this place 3 stars. The soup is very salty and their noodles are probably from Hmart. They just opened and there might be new things coming. Service is very satisfying. However, if they stick with the current menu, I wouldn't go there again.

    (3)

  • Raya E.

    Such good food and good service! Although there are inly very few options available, it's truly delicious and for a very good price. The regular size bowl is more than enough for one person. They also do all the ramen bowls vegetarian if you want.

    (5)

  • Jay S.

    The food is good but the management could be much better. I found a piece of broken glass in my water cup and notified the staff. All they did was take 5% off of the $35 bill. I don't care at all about the money, and was astonished at how unconcerned and indifferent the manager seemed to be about the matter. He didn't even take 10 seconds out of his time to apologize. He just immediately took all of our plates and cups after we told him we didn't want to continue eating, and came back with the bill and notified us frankly that he gave us a 5% discount for the mishap, which is a serious health issue imo. The way they handled the problem was very unlike a Japanese franchise and I'm sure the headquarters won't be happy to hear about this.

    (1)

  • Mars D.

    Soup is very important for ramen, they did great! The pork very good too! Recommend to everyone who love ramen!

    (4)

  • andrew d.

    Yes, It IS a very salty broth (I went with the soy based one) but that was a plus in my opinion. It enhances the flavor. The pork was amazing, so I would definitely pay extra next time for more. The egg was worth the extra two bucks as well, perfectly cooked. In the end it's a slightly pricier ramen than most places, but worth it. Just like most foods, you gotta pay more for quality. Best ramen I've tried outside of Japan.

    (5)

  • Michael D.

    The ramen is pretty good compared to others in the Boston area (Pikaichi, Sapporo in Porter, Sapporo in H-mart, Snappy Ramen, Shabu and Mein, etc.). I enjoyed the shio ramen, it's more like the mainstream ramen that I would expect in California or Japan. Their ramen all have a little fish broth mixed in, which might make the broth a tiny bit lighter overall. The ramen is definitely expensive, as you might expect. It was $15 for a shio ramen with pork. The service is fine, nothing special. I could go again.

    (3)

  • Kelsey G.

    Ever since hearing about its opening, I've been waiting to try this place out but have been deterred by the long wait lines and lack of reservations. However, my friend and I finally went on a Thursday night and it was a very solid meal. We gave the hostess our name and number and since the wait time was estimated at 40 minutes we decided to shop around. Twenty minutes later I got a text message saying our table was ready which was a great surprise. We went back to the restaurant and got promptly seated, but in front of the door. In the summer this would of been fine but since it was about 10 degrees out, the entire right side of the restaurant was wearing their coat while eating because every time someone opened the door a rush of cold air would come in. If they expand they should definitely get rid of the seats in the front because that's not a pleasant way to spend your dinner. The ramen itself was great. I got the spicy miso ramen (our waiter wisely advised me that it's actually not spicy so if I wanted it to be spicy he could tell the kitchen to make it extra extra spicy which is I did) and my friend got the shoyu ramen which our waiter recommended as his favorite. We got the regular sizes and decided to try the molten egg. I really like that they leave a water bottle on the table for you to fill up your own water. The food came pretty quickly and it was delicious. The extra extra spicy ended up being the perfect amount of spiciness. The noodle were deliciously chewy and the broth was very fragrant. My only qualm is that they only give you two pieces of pork (mine were very small slices), two mushrooms, and a few toppings. You can pay extra to add more if you want, but I feel for $12 you should get a bit more toppings included. They also forgot our egg but didn't charge us for it so we didn't say anything. Due to the wait they were very quick to take away our bowls when we were finished which was nice although we felt a but hurried in leaving. All in all it was a solid bowl of ramen and worth checking out but for the price I wish there would have been more toppings.

    (4)

  • Harrison P.

    Not bad but not memorable; run of the mill ramen. Decor is far too modern for a ramen place IMO. Staff was excellent, though.

    (3)

  • Jasmine C.

    Portions seem to be a bit on the smaller side. And the noodles aren't quite as chewy but soft as ramen noodles I'm use to. I've eaten ramen in Japan from a little old lady's shop and it was much better and hearty than this place. Considering the cost of this place, I'd much rather take the extra t stops and go to porter square for my ramen.

    (2)

  • Mike J.

    Came to this ramen place today with my homies. We wanna to give a try for this new place. Me and my homies waited about 15 to 20 minutes long. Not too bad. The ramen was OK soup base was good but too greasy. And they put a lot of msg. U feel very thirsty afterward, two of my homies got heartburn. That's ain't no good And by the way as me and my homies walking after we finished ramen, we saw 2 Asian female walk pass by, they were smoking like there's no tomorrow and I saw their uniform was from this place. Well good luck on your food my homies.

    (3)

  • Sonia S.

    The best ramen I have ever had, although a bit salty. I drank water all night after our dinner here. Will definitely return here for the food.

    (4)

  • Margaret P.

    Came here with the beau for their soft opening and waited about 30 minutes on a Sunday night. Waiting area is small but they take your phone number and text you when your table is ready, so you have the freedom to roam around Harvard. Also really cool - they have a link in their confirmation text that lets you see how many tables are still ahead of you. Wait service was tip-top! I was seated under their AC and it started dripping on me. Even after our food had come to our table and we had been settled in, our waitress was really accommodating and didn't hesitate to ask if I wanted to move. For their soft opening, they had a limited menu. I got the tonkotsu kara ramen aka the spicy miso, and the hubs got their shio ramen. My broth wasn't nearly as spicy as I'd have liked it to be, but still very, very good; not the best I've had but good. BF's Shio ramen was lacking in flavor; it didn't quite have the taste of a broth that had been brewed over the course of 8+ hours. But guys, their egg. THEIR EGGS. Perfectly yolky! The noodles were also very yummy. Overall, each bowl of ramen; one regular, one large, with an additional egg for each of us, cost around 15-16 dollars per person. I think it's too overpriced for the taste but we'll have to see again once they do their grand opening. If it's the same caliber of flavor, I probably would opt for other places when I get my hankering for ramen.

    (4)

  • Art B.

    mmmhhhh..... So, so Service was great although we felt a bit rushed. The place is nicely set. The Ramen, we got was the spicy one, also the bowl with rice and meat and edamame. The edamame was kind of clod and the bowl of rice and meat had almost no meat. The ramen was blah. I've had significantly better ones and it wasn't that spicy. Overall, not that good.

    (3)

  • Jake G.

    If you're in Harvard Square and hankering for some ramen, I have good news: this place will definitely hit the spot. Unfortunately, though, you really have to be in the mood to enjoy the food. The broth has a strange smell that is off-putting without affecting the taste, and the portions are too small for the price you pay. If you truly want good ramen and are willing to travel/wait, head up to Sapporo in Porter Square. But like I said: if you have to have it now you can do much worse.

    (3)

  • Connie H.

    I came here with my 2 little sisters to try it out since we've been hearing about it. The staff are very welcoming and friendly; the whole staff will greet you in Japanese when you are being seated. We went during early dinner, around 5:30 so there was no wait and got seated right away. I also noticed that if you have bags that you need to put down, they will bring you a little mesh basket so your bags won't touch the floor. Our waitress took our drink orders right away and offered a lot of other options (appetizers or extra sides) when we finally decided what we what. The noodles came out really fast and what's great was that she even remember who got what exactly (most restaurants would switch our orders around and we have to re-pass all the food to the right person). We all ordered the tonkatsu shio, shouyu, and miso ramen respectively and we all enjoyed it. My sister did say she had a weird bitter aftertaste with her shouyu ramen, but it might have been due to the fact we just came from the Scooper Bowl. Great service and great ramen. Will be back and I do recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Joss G.

    this place is quite spectacular, i mean just the fantastic flavors and the ambiance is enough but then you get quick friendly service and you get a winner in my book. I love the look, the chairs are so comfy and the industrial modern touch is cool. Limited menu but I wouldn't care if this was all they did because this is all I want, forever and ever. Order the reg size. Choose from the few options. Get your sides. Order green tea. Wait a couple of minutes chatting up your neighbor or not. And be transported to Japan in one sip. So cool.

    (5)

  • Vi H.

    Had the Miso Ramen with two extra pieces of meat. This place didn't let me down at all. Usually when I go to eat ramen, I always have the problem of the meat being too dry for my liking and so I just end up eating everything except the meat. My friends have gone here before me and so when I asked them about it, they recommended I get extra meat. I was iffy since my experience with the meat always tends to be way too dry and tough, but decided I would just listen and try it. I have no regrets and am so glad I asked for extra meat because it was delicious. The ramen noodle portion itself seemed a bit small though. I came on a Monday night so it wasn't that long of a wait (~10 minutes). I think it was pretty nice that they had a waitlist where they could notify you when your table was ready as opposed to having to sit and wait in their small waiting room. Although I came on a weekday night, I can see it getting crowded and busy on a weekend. Parking would be tough as well since it's only street parking. I didn't really like the set up of the tables too much. I don't usually like to share tables with strangers because I find it a bit awkward. It's not really that much of a major issue to knock off a star. If I had come in with a larger group, I think I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much seeing as how I would be seated unnecessarily far away from some of them. So I do think the large table is a bit unnecessary and space hogging. andd that's all I can really think of at the moment.

    (5)

  • Victoria S.

    Pretty good ramen and great service. Had to wait about 35 minutes on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, but walking around Harvard Square passes the time quickly. I ordered the Shoyu Karaage Combo. The noodles are tasty, the broth was okay, but the meat was perfectly cooked. This place has a modern Japanese vibe as everyone in the store greets someone as they walk in. The waiter we had was very attentive and overall I would definitely come here again to try something different.

    (4)

  • Derek B.

    Hands down, the best ramen I have had in Boston yet. I got the Tonkotsu Toroniku Ramen shoyu style large. It was the best bowl of ramen I have had for a super long time. I suspect I will be back here in the near future. I brought my date here, but we ate in silence it was so good. The staff were very good and attentive.

    (5)

  • Leah H.

    Tasty ramen, rich broth and great pork belly. No beer/wine, just soft drinks. There are a few small tables and then large communal tables. Reasonably priced and friendly service. What's not to like?

    (4)

  • Chenkai L.

    The walked in here with the expectation of another overhyped ramen place. Since it just opened, the line is generally quite long. The sitting is a bit awkard here, there are two large tables that gets shared with a bunch of small tables. The ramen here, however, is really quite amazing. The broth is creamy and tasty, a bit salty but not too salty to drink, the noodles have the right texture and are chewy, you can also add $1 for large and $1 less for small. I got the large and had trouble finishing it. Santouka has displaced Sapporo ramen as my favorite ramen place in Boston :)

    (5)

  • Danae K.

    Too much hype, and it wasn't that amazing. The ramen was a bit too salty, over priced, and didn't feel that authentic. It's great to come hang out with friends, and try a new place, but there is nothing that was a "must try" here. And, there was a sense of urgency for the tables. Not great when you're eating soup and need to take breaks from time to time.

    (3)

  • Isabella C.

    I came here when they first opened as part of a Yelp elite event. I can say that the food is consistent whether it's a Yelp elite event or not! However, I will say that the service quality has declined over time. This past time I went, I waited around 10 minutes for my bill at the end of my meal. The restaurant is open, airy, and bright. There isn't a lot of space but they do make sure to provide each guest who has a bag with a bag rack. When you enter and leave, everyone yells the standard Japanese greeting. The ramen here is certainly more expensive (for the quantity you get) than many places nearby. They're also a lot more selective about the toppings you get (in a standard ramen). Some places will offer an egg or a range of vegetables with ramen but they charge extra for most toppings. All in all though, there is a good range of soup bases to choose from. They have consistent ramen - and it's good ramen (not overly salty, oily enough, and original toppings that complement the soup flavors). 4 stars for the quality of the food but an implicit 3.5 stars for the service.

    (4)

  • Soo Jung R.

    I'm a huge fan of Santouka from the West Coast (San Jose, CA) - they have locations all around the world, too. I'm ecstatic I can walk to one now, as opposed to having to drive. I have only been to one other ramen shop in Cambridge/Boston area, but I can assure you this is probably the best you'll find. The wait can be long (I've waited 30~45min), but if you go at the right time or just get lucky, you can get seated immediately. Their appetizers are great too, I've tried the Takoyaki, Karaage, and the Green Salad. I could tell the Takoyaki was cooked just for the order (not pre-made and heated up), the Karaage was good (although the pieces weren't exactly bite-sized), and the Green Salad tasted really refreshing. The ramen - speechless. I always get the Tonkotsu Kara miso (spicy miso) when I go to a Santouka, and that's what I get here. If you think Japanese ramen in general is a bit too greasy for you but still want to try this place, the Kara Miso will be a good choice. The spicyness (although it's not overdone) helps you forget any slight greasy-ness that comes to mind. Overall, super happy that there's a Santouka here. Any one who wants to try Japanese ramen should go here.

    (4)

  • Shanni C.

    What I like -- shio ramen, tokusen toroniku, that egg, gyoza, takoyaki, chicken karaage That broth is amaze -- I like Sapporo a whole lot but the broth here has more layers of umami. The noodles are sometimes very good and sometimes just OK. Sapporo noodles are still my fave. Going for dinner was a long wait but youre in Harvard so you can dick around before dinner and theyll msg you when your table is ready. Going for lunch is a good deal and you can skip the wait.

    (5)

  • Hang D.

    This is the best Ramen restaurant in Boston! The shio broth is amazing. I tried the combo shio ramen regular size with an egg+ ikura salmon rice bowl. This became my favorite restaurant in town. Definitely will come again soon.

    (5)

  • Yuko H.

    I love ramen and eat ramen everywhere. I have favorite ramen shops at many of the cities I visit for work as I travel from time to time. Santoka is my favorite ramen shop in San Jose, CA. I wasn't looking for ramen in Boston, I wanted to eat lobsters, oysters, all kinds of seafood during my short stay here but when I saw the name Santoka, I couldn't help myself. Really, I didn't need to load myself with extra carbohydrate and sodium. My jeans are already tight from extra muscle I recently gained from training. But it's Santoka, how could I skip here? So here I was... Wait time I was told was 15-30 mins. Standard for good ramen shop. They have nice little area with comfy sofa and cold pitcher of water to help you wait.. Once the seating area was available, I sat comfortably with a cold cup of water in my hand. As I started settling in, I received a text message from the restaurant informing me that table is ready. I didn't feel my wait was long at all. It think the comfy waiting area helped. I chose to go with gyoza ramen set with ajitama (flavored soft boiled egg), standard noodle, normal soup, shio flavor is what I went this time. If it was cold outside, I would probably went for miso flavor. Ramen, gyoza, and egg all were very good, just the way I remember from their San Jose location. Most shops make their egg ahead of time and sometimes they can't warm up the egg enough and I bit into cold egg before. The egg they served was nice and warm yet yolk was still soft. It went with simple shio flavor. Gyoza was standard. Not the best I had but still very good. Service was very good. I couldn't tell which one was our server as several different staff kept coming by and they all took care of our table. I got my ramen fix and made sure I walked a bit extra to burn those calories.

    (4)

  • Catie C.

    I had a dire need to know what's the rave about.. It seems like any Asian chain that makes it all the way to Boston turns out to be not spectacular. You leave a cell # so you don't have to wait right at the door. You will get a text when your table is ready to be seated. The reason I am not giving them more than 2 stars is because my bowl didn't come out steaming hot. My partner in pigging out got his steaming hot!! Talk about discrimination between a Cat and a Pig! The side of corn I ordered was fridge cold which cooled down my broth even more so when I was eating my bowl of ramen, it was just warm. With much of the add-on as a la carte, I don't think it was worth the $$ since the broth was not all that even in flavor. More on the salty side than bone flavor. For the price, I would expect a good cut of pork. Mine was just mostly fat!!! I love pork belly, but that was just @#$%#! I guess they don't want to waste any part of the slab of meat nor use it else where. The design of the place is practical. Not fancy furniture; but modern looking. The employees were all friendly and on par with service. I don't think it's worth the 40 min wait and $$.

    (2)

  • Vivian C.

    As I continued to circle the Square for a parking spot, my DCs were already comfortably seated in the... waiting area. Yep, no rush. No surprise here, as Santouka is most definitely a found spot, with ramen being a hot dish of our current era. I had read that Santouka had recently added to their menu. I figure that their combo offering was also a recent development. I was all gung-ho on getting one of their combos which came with a size small of ramen, a soft boiled egg, and a choice of 2 appetizers or 2 rice bowls. But when it came my turn to place my order, I suddenly noticed the words that tore apart my dream: "choose a soup flavor from" and only their 4 regular menu choices were listed. Would they kindly consider substituting their Summer Special goma miso ramen, perhaps for a surcharge? No. *sniff* Sadness. My DC kindly offered to let me try his combo Cha-Shu Gohan (rice bowl topped with cha-shu). Ultimately, given the taste and portion, I'm glad I didn't opt to order this myself at the a la carte price of $6. The ground meat sauce rice at Taiwan Cafe is much tastier and for a more reasonable price point. My ramen was fine with nice bouncy noodles, but not particularly outstanding in any way. We did discover though the difference between the small, regular, and large bowls of ramen in terms of meat - the small had one slice of fatty pork, the regular 2, and the large 3. The best bite of the evening, however, was the Takoyaki $5 fried ball-shaped Japanese snack with a bit of octopus inside; served with sweet sauce and sprinkle of nori & katsuobushi. One order yielded five soft balls peppered with chewy pieces of octopus, each bite both sweet and savory.

    (3)

  • Cathy S.

    Got the "kara miso" (spicy miso) ramen and enjoyed it - the broth was slightly on the salty side but still good and it had a slight kick to it but wasn't too spicy. I really liked the slices of pork that came with it, which weren't too lean, but there were only 2 pieces. The other toppings were good too, including wood ear mushroom, scallion, and bamboo I think, though as usual I craved more toppings. An egg would have been great but seemed pricey to get on its own (~$2.50). I got the regular sized portion which was just fine for me since I wasn't too hungry, but probably could have gone for a large too. The service was great when we went, and they gave us a basket to put our bags in which was unique and a nice touch.

    (4)

  • Stephanie W.

    Came around 5:45pm for a weeknight dinner with my friends, no wait. Also left feeling super satisfied! The ramen noodle itself had a nice texture to it, and the broth had depth in flavor. I got the large shio ramen bowl with 5 pieces of the pork, a soft boiled egg (could have eaten like 10 of those), and split the octopus app. Split the bill and it was $19 and change without tip. I would say that's pretty good for a nice bowl of ramen and then some! Highly recommended!

    (4)

  • Bela S.

    Best broth in Boston. Noodles were among my least favorite in Boston. No tofu option if you are not keen on meat. Staff friendliness was better than Sapporo (lol), but pretty much below everywhere else. They were kind enough to give us change for $1 in quarters to feed the meter. Why four stars? I'd come in for just a bowl of broth any day of the week. The window into the simmering room is also a nice touch.

    (4)

  • Tammy L.

    The best ramen I've had was in a tiny family-owned, hole in the wall restaurant in Kokura in Fukuoka and I'm convinced nothing will ever top what I had there. It's probably unfair to compare it to Santouka which is a chain, but I think as you can tell from my rating that I think highly of this new ramen spot in the area. Staff was friendly and polite. Service was quick. I love that they have a mesh bag for your bag at the side of your table. They definitely brought this over from Japan. No more trying to balance your handbag on your chair and no praying that the contents inside will stay intact. Thank you for whoever decided to bring this concept over! The ramen noodles here are possibly one of the best I've had in Boston. So chewy! I had miso broth and at least I didn't leave feeling like I'd dumped an entire jar of salt in my mouth. At other places that I will not name, I would have left the place looking for a two-gallon spring water bottle. I would recommend getting the combo sets, especially the karaage (fried chicken) one as well as the gyoza set. For about $15-16 depending what size of ramen bowl you order, you are pretty much full for the next few hours. That gives you ample time to roam around Harvard Square before your next meal. It's a good deal if you like variety in your meals. They have a location in Toronto, which I have also tried. It's just as good as this one. Thanks for the consistency. Okay, I think I need to go back there again.

    (5)

  • Mel C.

    Updating my review to say I had the Shio ramen today, and I didn't find any issues with salt or fat. Especially if you compare it with YWK, the broth isn't too salty at all. Ramen was excellent per usual. Chewy noodles and runny egg. It took a long time for the ramen to come out (20m), but our server let us know about the delay. Well worth the wait!!!

    (4)

  • Jennifer G.

    I love ramen and this place is delish! I've been here twice now - once for the soft opening and once more recently. Everyone who works here is super friendly and welcoming. If there is a wait, you'll get text message notifications of where you stand in line so you can wander the area for a bit. Appetizers - I've tried their gyoza and the karaage (deep-fried Japanese style chicken). I would recommend both. Ramen - I always get the Tonkotsu Kara Miso Ramen. The portions here are a bit smaller than what I'm typically used to from other ramen restaurants (either that or I have a big appetite - probably a little bit of both). I opted for the large size which was only $1 more. The noodles and broth were both very good, and not overly salty, as I've had at some other restaurants.

    (4)

  • Jiawen H.

    This is the best ramen I have had in a while! I ordered the regular size Shio ramen. The broth was smooth and full of umami flavor. The slices of meat were tender and the ramen had good texture. It was a super satisfying meal, even in the summer. I also tried takoyaki for the first time and liked it, but I'm not sure how it compares. The service was good and the restaurant is very clean. We sat at the community table, but we still got the privacy because it was spacious. Highly recommends this ramen place!

    (5)

  • Bonnie C.

    This is by far my favorite restaurant ever! I came here around 1ish on a Wednesday and there was no wait - thank goodness because I was starving haha. Right as we got in, the hostess welcomed us and was super friendly. She seated us and our waitress came to our table 5 mins later. Because the menu wasn't extensive, we were ready to order when she got to us. I ordered the tonkatsu char-su ramen with miso soup base and butter corn. I have to admit, this ramen blew my mind. I didn't expect it so be so good. Every bite was just as good as the last one. Adding the butter corn to the ramen was a great idea so I highly recommend it. I ordered a small bowl and that filled me up (I don't really eat much). The pork was absolutely perfect too - it had a nice layer of fat that made it super juicy and it literally melted in my mouth. The broth was really good too! Everything went well together. I also ordered the gyoza - it was average. Not too bad, but also nothing to rave about. I'll probably pass up on it next time I come here. In terms of customer service, I think they do a good job of it. I didn't see our waitress that much and she didn't leave an impression on me, so it was whatever. However, the owner stopped by our table couple times to check up on us and took our bowls away. Super friendly gesture. And as mentioned before, the hostess was really friendly and welcoming. I think the thing that I love most about this place is that they have options for the soup base and for the serving size. I personally don't eat a lot, so I hate it when I order something and I can't finish it. I don't like to eat leftovers either so I never take things to go. The small size is honestly the perfect serving size for me and it makes me feel good that I am not wasting any food. I can't wait to come back here for the ramen again! Better than Pikaichi IMO.

    (5)

  • James S.

    Great service. I love how everyone says "hello" and good-bye" . The ramen was excellent.

    (5)

  • Anastasia L.

    Best ramen in Boston. Been here for 3 years and finally they have a legit ramen place! Obviously, the line is always quite long but I think it's worth the wait (I've waited for more than 1 hr before and I'm still coming back for more). So, the best ramen for me is the regular size tonkotsu toroniku with shoyu flavor. (I prefer shoyu than shio because it's less salty and much more flavor). Not to forget add the egg. I recommend trying the gyoza and takoyaki, it's really gooodd! Also finish with the mochi ice creams :)

    (5)

  • Paris L.

    Seriously best Ramen in Boston!!!! I order a Shoyu Ramen + Ikura Salmon Rice Bowl combo. Extra Chasu. Extra Ikura. The ramen is super tasteful and well made. The rice bowl offers lots of ikura and salmon, which is a big plus. Everything is so perfect and delicious. Very full and happy at the end of the dinner! :) The decoration is simple yet lovely. The staff is very attentive and polite. Food comes fast. They even offer a box to store my handbag, which is very thoughtful. I, like many others, normally put handbag behind the chair and sit uncomfortably. This small storage box completely solve the problem. Gonna order the Shio broth next time since it's the signature.

    (5)

  • Iris S.

    I would say Santouka claims the title of best ramen in Boston. I've been here a few times now, and on the most recent visit, in addition to offering three different sizes, which I appreciate, there are options for firmness of noodles as well as saltiness. I ordered a regular sized, regular firmness shio ramen with less salty broth and a side of the soft boiled eggs. Everything about this ramen was delicious, from the chewy noodles to the soft, tender prices of pork belly on top, and the flavorful broth that just brought it all together. The one thing I would say is that I might just go for the original broth next time. While the less salty broth still has good flavor and is less bad for you, it's basically diluted original broth and having had the original before I would say next time I'll just get that; big or go home, right?

    (4)

  • Jonathan N.

    I don't understand what is all the hypes is all about this restaurant. I try this restaurant today after reading all these good reviews on Yelp. Big disappointment!! Their miso broth are too salty for me and their ramen noodles taste like the instant noodle you get at the super market. The soup also tastes very MSG. I got the combo meal that cost $15, with adding a large size bowl for a dollar. The meal came with two pieces of fried chicken, a soft boiled egg and a medium size noodle bowl ( not big enough for me). My order came out pretty fast. I finished the whole meal and still felt hungry afterward. The foods does not worth for it money. The staffs are pretty friendly and nice. The restaurant is very clean and well lite. I don't think I be coming back though. :(

    (3)

  • D K.

    This is a nice joint and the prices are cheaper too. Also, The restaurant have a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. And I think waiters and waitresses in Santouka Ramen are very kind. The ramen was very delicious and I had a wonderful time. Also, The soup is zesty.

    (5)

  • Ally C.

    After the rave reviews, I really expected much more from Santouka. I love spicy food, and I always ordered the spicy karakamen from Ippudo in NYC. So at Santouka, at the least by force of habit, I ordered the spicy ramen (kara miso) option on the menu. Not only was it not spicy at all, the broth had a familiar artificial quality about it. After a few sips, I realized that it tasted exactly like the Korean instant noodle brand Nongshim. If I'm going to be paying $13-15 for a bowl of ramen, it shouldn't taste like a $.50 preservative-filled flavor package. I had a sip of my friend's tonkatsu shio broth, which was admittedly delicious and tasted like it was actually cooked with pork bones. I clearly ordered the wrong thing, but there shouldn't be such a quality discrepancy for two similarly priced ramen options. The toppings were also skimpy, and portions are rather small for what you're paying. Thankfully I didn't have to wait long for my seat. This restaurant is often inexplicably crowded.

    (2)

  • Aaron K.

    I hate waiting a long time. Miso Hungry. But, I absolutely love their wait system here. It's the best wait system I've ever seen and it's for a $12 bowl of ramen. Nice! You give your name to the hostess and they plug it in and shoot you a text with a link. They will text you when your table is ready! Not only that you can check on your place in line and when you entered the queue through a website which is linked in that initial text. Don't you hate when you always wonder if you're being treated fairly in the wait queue? Here, you are. The servers are just as fantastic as the hosts and online wait system. Great service is so rare at places that are this affordable, but Santouka nails every detail. Be prepared for the wait. Saturday night around 6 was 1.5 hours so we walked away. Tried again on a Sunday at 4:50 and it was still about 35 minutes. We hit the bookstore next door and got the text as promised notifying us we could finally eat. Jimmy's ROTD has it right. Go with the Kara Miso Ramen. The spice/heat level is perfect. It's got great flavor and you can still taste the other ingredients in the bowl. I had the shio ramen previously and while it's good, it's somewhat simple (usually I prefer simple) and was not as exciting or tasty as the Kara Miso. I recommend going after some of that deliciously tender pork immediately. If you let it sit too long it will cook and become tough. As far as sizes go, the large has an incredible amount of noodles. No matter who you are you will be full after eating a large here. The server questioned me when I ordered the large size. Apparently I did not meet the height requirement. Can't wait for the menu to expand with some pork buns in a few weeks. Hopefully there's more Santoukas to come to the area with the great success of this location.

    (4)

  • Tiffany F.

    A little salty for my liking, but I prefer this to Yume Wo Katare any day. It's far less greasy and the food overall just feels finer and less like death. Shio charshu was creamy goodness and hit the spot. My only regret is not ordering the 5 piece charshu option bc 2 wasn't satisfying enough - though I did walk out of there completely stuffed. Waiters were attentive and patiently answered my rapid fire questions about the handful of size/ charshu portion options. They do give you a cute water pitcher for your table so I guess that solves for the saltiness, but if they took it down just a notch is probably give it 4 stars instead of 3.

    (3)

  • Francis C.

    I was nervous that the place would not live up to its hype but IT DID HOORAYYY I got the small, shoyu cha shu special 1. I love that they have different size options 2. The cha shu (fatty pork belly) was melt in your mouth status 3. The broth was perfection -- I didn't feel gross after 4. Noodles were firm and spring-y up until the very last bite 5. The ratio of the stuff in the bowl is well calculated. I had something to accompany my noodles until the end. FINALLY a place in Boston that does ramen right. I'm excited to come back and try the shio ramen cuz I hear that it's lifechanging .

    (5)

  • Jessica L.

    3 girls, raining Thursday night, 7PM wait? NONE! miracle? YES. I've been dying to come here, especially because I missed the opening night and Yelp preview, and basically every chance to dine at this place I've heard so much about. Anyways, I was ecstatic about eating here tonight, and I was not disappointed! Maybe it was the gross rainy, cold weather, but I was surprised that we did not have to wait at all to be seated. I also really like their "communal seating" they have going on, which works for a party of 3, but may get a little uncomfortable for groups bigger than 4. Let's get to the food: Shio Ramen: Damn, the food came out in like 5 minutes! YES! That's the good thing about restaurants with limited menus. They make what they can, and it won't take 20+ minutes to come out. Major plus here. I burnt my tongue because I got too excited when I saw the ramen. Anyways, the ramen was delicious. The noodle itself was perfectly cooked, and the broth, which I thought was a little salty in the beginning, blended into the noodles really well. The regular portion was also perfect! One negative thing. Hey man. Did you forget my soft boiled egg? Or did you just run out for the night? I don't know. I saw a man across from me point out the fact that the egg was missing, and the waiter brought it out...Was I supposed to ask for it? Confused. I was too hungry to complain, but maybe next time I'll ask about it. Still super satisfied with my meal! Service: Super friendly, fast, and attentive!

    (4)

  • Maliza H.

    I was just craving for ramen and searching the area at 10:30am, this place was the only place that open earliest compare to the ramen shop surrounding. The first moment I get in, we were welcome by the staff. I like the decoration, young and modern look. The menu were okay, not much choice but the menu representation weren't that attractive. We order the house special ramen was feature and recommended by chef special. The flavor was not terrible but I have to say that I can find this flavor in H Mart super market. In the cooler section, they has a lot of raw ramen with many favor that you can make your own ramen at home. Beside the look of the restaurant, the taste is very simple. Nothing to wow about. I have ate so many ramen that I can't give this place more than 3 stars as much as I appreciate the service and atmosphere.

    (3)

  • Nancy H.

    3 stars?! What? Let me explain. The first time I went was for the Yelp event. They served up Shio and dammmmmmnnn, it was there a party in my mouth. The pork belly was melt in your mouth meaty goodness, while the noodles were perfect and round and the broth amazing. It really hit that the spot in terms of savoriness. However, I had to try again to offset the bias. Well, it brought my opinion down a notch to okay. The kara miso did not gain anything from being red. It was not very spicy, the broth was not as flavorful or savory enough nor was the pork belly as amazing. The pork belly didn't taste seasoned but rather cooked and served in the soup. My sister ordered the shio and I tried her soup to compare, and the shio still held on to its great flavors. The kara miso on the other hand really lacked in game. The service was great, though a staff walked by a scent lingered for a nasty ass long time. The decor is very modern, though I'd have to ask if the lamps they use are from Ikea. Anyways, going to return to try the rest of the menu once they phase out of their soft opening.

    (3)

  • Anna T.

    This is my go to place to settle my ramen cravings. I used to go to Sapporo in Porter Exchange until this restaurant opened. Since its opening they have expanded the menu to include appetizers, sides and desserts. Hooray! My go to is the chashu miso ramen with a side of corn and butter. It's a little under $15 for the perfect meal. The waitstaff are very attentive and keep the water coming. It's a nice touch that they have brown bag holders to keep beside your table. I actually like getting seated at the large community table - the family style atmosphere is very welcoming. You have to go here if you are in Cambridge and you are looking for authentic Japanese Ramen.

    (5)

  • Christine L.

    How stoked was I when I heard that Japan-based ramen shop Santouka was arriving on the East Coast? SUPER EXCITED! So I took a day-trip out to Boston, ate here, and kinda got over it. While I LOVELOVELOVE Santouka on the west coast, I was let down by my meal here. After a brief wait on a weekday evening, I received a pleasant text that my table was ready. I was seated at a little two-seater that was unfortunately so cramped that the waiters couldn't even reach the table to my right and neighboring chairs kept bumping up against our seats. I spent a good chunk of dough on the toroniku ramen with karamiso broth. This was their pork-cheek special, which is supposed to be much more tender than the pork used in the other bowls. While it was definitely tender, tasty, and plentiful, I found that a few of my pieces were entirely covered in fat on the backside. Come on guys, fat is great and all but I want my meat! While the ramen was overall enjoyable and still better than most I've had in the Northeast, I was disappointed that they were still working with a very limited menu more than a month after opening. The window food displays were beautiful, and it would've been nice to be able to do more than admire the artwork. Self-note: minus $1 for the small version which is still surprisingly filling!

    (3)

  • Jonathan O.

    Nice experience. Seems to be authentic and way better than other Ramen places.

    (5)

  • Meizi H.

    Finally there is an authentic Japanese chain ramen restaurant in town. They do change a bit of flavor but overall it was tasty. Not too salty. We arrived 10 min before noon and no waiting. I ordered miso ramen at regular size and the presentation was good too. The noodle was perfect done!!! They don't serve any desserts yet , hopefully they extend their menu soon.

    (4)

  • Megan P.

    Wasn't sure what to expect when we stopped here on a whim. Very glad we did stop though! We've tried other ramen joints since moving to Boston, and none compared to some of our ramen experiences in Houston. Santouka did not disappoint. I got the spicy miso ramen, which is NOT spicy by any standards outside of New England or the Midwest. (I recently moved from Texas where this would be medium at most.) It was delicious with loads of flavor. My fiancé got the most popular option, the shio ramen. Hers was also amazing. We will definitely be coming back! Warning to the lazy, they are dine in only, which means no take out.

    (5)

  • Hurnan V.

    New, bumpin Ramen place in Harvard Square! Everyone has been talking about this for soooo long. Especially given the harsh, cold winter this year, ramen is a great selection for any cold winter (or spring) night. I came here on a Friday evening with a friend around 6 pm and was immediately faced with an approximately 45 minute wait. You put your name down and your number, and they text you when the table is ready. Prepared for 45 minutes, we were pleasantly surprised to be called in ~10 minutes. I imagine the wait would be more true to estimation if it was a bigger party. The interior is nice and sleek - very modern, clean. We were seated graciously and brought menus. There are only THAT many selections, so it was pretty easy to order. I got the Tonkotsu Miso Ramen, and my friend got the Tonkotsu Shio Ramen. We were taken our orders pretty quickly and were served in the same expedient manner. For a regular, the price was 11.25 (upgrade to a large for $1 more, or downsize to small for $1 less). The bowl was a substantial size, and the ramen was actually really delicious! It was a tad bit greasy for my taste, but that's what hits the flavor home. The noodles are done to perfection - not too stringy or soft. It was such a nice meal -- but the only thing that was a bit offputting was their desire to get you in and out as quickly as they can (and understandably so). We were also seated at this communal table for a party of two...with about 10 other people present. All in all, I would recommend this place to other Cantabridgians / Bostonians looking for a solid place for ramen! Great price, delicious food, and quick service. Just be prepared for the wait if you have a larger party!

    (4)

  • Idy T.

    Omg! Finally, Santouka is opened in Boston/Cambridge area! I had Santouka when I was back in LA. This is my favorite ramen place! This reminds me of my good ole' college days. I love the flavorful tonkotsu broth. It is stewed for 20 hours so it is creamy and infused with complex flavors. It is a perfect bowl of goodness. I usually order the shio ramen. Each order comes with the perfect thickness of noodles that allows the broth to surround it. It also has a few pieces of cha-shu, jelly ear (a type of fungus), bamboo shoots, and topped off with their signature red pickled plum. This is also the best renovated Santouka restaurant that I have been to. The one that I used to go to in LA is in a food court of a Japanese market. This place gets super busy. The wait usually takes a hour long for 2-4 people. The good thing is that you can leave you name and number and they will text you when your table is ready.

    (5)

  • Xia L.

    I heard so much rave about this place but haven't tried it until yesterday. We came around 6:30 ish and it was already busy. The hostess greeted us and said the wait would be "5 mins". 5 mins turned out to be 30 mins+. Okay i don't want to sound like i'm whining, but I would appreciate if the hostess told us a more realistic wait time. We finally got seated around 7 something. For appetizer, we ordered Karaage (deep fried chicken) It's hot & crispy at the same time. A must try. We also ordered Tayoyaki (fried octopus balls) these were the best balls ever. You should expect a mouthful of flavors exploding in your mouth. Another must try for appetizers. We shared a bowl of Tonkatsu char-su ramen with miso soup base and butter corn. I really liked the broth. I think that's the key to this ramen. It is salty...but what do you expect. It is ramen! I love the pork. Juicy and tender. Everything just melted in my mouth. Okay to sum it up, it was deff worth the extra wait

    (4)

  • Ina K.

    Didn't have high expectations for this place since it is a branch, but it is actually still really good (not compared to Yume ofc). From the 6 "must go to ramen places in Boston," Santouka would come in second. There is a lot more variety to the menu in terms of the soup base. The texture and taste of the ramen is great, but not sure if it is worth the 70 minute wait. I got the miso, and it was a bit too salty for me. The interior design is very modern and intimate at the same time. A bit expensive for what I got. I'd say average in about $15 per bowl. Just seems like a good place to unwind and chat with your colleagues over some ramen after a long Friday at work.

    (4)

  • Dongying S.

    I like the place. The interior design is excellent, and the waiter/waitress has been very helpful. Love the ramen and appetizers served in the restaurant. Also, the loyal customer program has saved me a lot of money! I definitely agree with some of the reviews that ramen in this store is not unique, unlike the home-made ramen from Yume Katare. However, I genuinely think that Yume Katare is on the greasy side, and I am not a big fan of greasy food.

    (4)

  • Alan C.

    My first time here and I have to say the queue system is much better than some of the places I've been. As many yelp reviewers have explained, you arrive and let the host know your name, party number and phone number. You immediately get a text on your phone notifying you that you are in the queue with a link that can check on your place in line. You get another text notifying you that your table is ready just in case you don't check the link. I think it definitely takes the stress out of waiting outside and not knowing whether the host has called your name or skipped you or if someone jumped ahead of you and you're not sure if you're even on the list anymore. Food: I had the regular tonkotsu shio raman and thought it was ok. It could be that I am just used to the heavy salty flavors of tonkotsu ramen from other places and don't appreciate the subtle flavors at Santouka. To me, my 'cup of tea' would be the soup base from Yuma Wo Katare or Sapporo (Hmart). I know some folks don't like the greasiness or heavy handed flavors of the other places but to each his own. Although the noodles at Santouka did impress me as it was firm and the right level of texture for my taste and much better than the thick chewy noodles at Yume. The char sui was also very good and full of flavor you'd come to expect at any decent ramen place.

    (3)

  • Jessica Z.

    Finally got around to trying this place after hearing about my friends rave about it. There's usually a wait, but you can just leave your number and they will text you when the table is ready. I waited 45 minutes the first time I came, and 15 the other, both during dinner hours. The ramen comes with the standard toppings like scallion, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and of course meat. The pork wasn't meat, not just fatty like how some places serves it. I'm not a fan of their bamboo shoots though because it has a really weird taste imo. The noodles itself were really good and similar to what I had in Japan. The broth is really good as well, not too oily. My friend loved it so much that she drank all the broth before even eating much of her ramen. It's +$1 for large and -$1 for a smaller size. Santouka is a bit pricier compared to other ramen shops in Boston though. For additional topppings, you have to pay extra.

    (5)

  • Simon L.

    Boston has only recently become aware that it craves ramen and there have been notable additions to the bench including Inaka, Yume wok atare, Totto Ramen to name a few. Among this dirth of noodle shops specializing in ramen to have recently opened, add one more. Although Santouka claims to be the most authentic of the pack, based on regional variations and preparations, Boston has, in it's own right, done a fine job of nurturing the aforementioned joints prior to Santouka's arrival. That said, Santouka is very good one. Currently serving a limited version of their usually broader menu, Santouk's shio (salt) broth is rich with flavor, almost fluffy. Adding extra noodles ($2) to the $12.50 bowl brings the cost to nearly $15. Add Kara miso for and extra buck and you've soared right by $15 for a bowl of ramen. Pickled plum, bamboo shoots and jelly ear (mushroom) add a level of complexity that is easy to pin point once you taste the broth. Char siu is supposedly from the fattiest part of the pig - it is good and there is plenty. The noodles are dense and springy. The broth sticks to them well. Deservingly, the bowl is packed with them. An excellent bowl of noodles. Served at communal tables, the food arrives quickly and is presented with a smile. Definitely a place to visit frequently.

    (4)

  • Pam C.

    After squinting through their windows for the past 3 months waiting for them to open, I was finally able to get my hands on some Santouka ramen. The wait here is beyond ridiculous some nights - we were met with a 2.5 hour wait one Friday evening. However, if you manage to drop by on off hours (2-4pm on a weekday) then you'll find the wait time very manageable. It doesn't seem like they have their full menu yet - their menu currently has a few bowls of ramen, so I've got to go back to breathing down their plastic food display waiting for the pork buns to come out. The broth is excellent - not too salty and slightly fatty, making for a nice hit of savory flavor. The karamiso (spicy miso) ramen broth has a deep red color, but its more color than kick. The pork cheeks that come with your ramen are superb - soft, flavorful and fatty. Toppings come artfully arranged, and the presentation is a nice touch with each bowl coming with a cute tray and a long spoon. For me, the noodles were a really big disappointment - especially with how well the broth was done. They were a bit on the thin side, and slightly curly. Overall, it just felt like the noodles didn't really hold their own in the broth, and came off as pretty bland. It's on the pricey side (bowls range from 11-15$ and portions are on the small side), but nothing obscene given the other ramen offerings in the area. The extra $2 for the egg seems a bit skimpy, but their egg was well done with a nice, soft yolk so I guess we can let that slide. I would say 3 stars for the food, but the service was super nice and attentive, and the broth, meat and presentation would bump it up to a 3.5 or 4 for me. Maybe by the time they have their full menu, we can see how their other offerings hold up.

    (4)

  • Stella B.

    Absolutely delicious !!!! -A Well-brewed silky white pork broth -Soft, tender and juicy chasyu ( fatty pork belly) - the noodles in middle of firm and soft . What do we need more on Ramen ??? You definitely should try this place. My favorite ramen restaurant in Boston !!

    (5)

  • Susan C.

    It was just okay...worth a try but nothing special. Braved the snow and went to Santouka last night at 6:30 with a group of 7 friends for dinner. The wait was about 30 minutes, so not as bad as some other reviewers. The seating here is a little awkward and could be much more space efficient. My party was seated at this oddly large surfaced area-ed rectangular communal table along with 4 other already seated strangers. The divide of the table was weird and forced me to shout if I wanted to talk to my friends sitting across from me. They should replace the table with two skinnier tables--more seating and less awkward conversation--it would be a win-win. I ordered the regular kara miso ramen (at $11.75) which was served with 2 slices of pork belly. It tasted okay, but wasn't very spicy or otherwise flavorful. I also had a few bites of my friend's regular-sized shio tokusen toroniku ramen (at $14.25 or $14.75, can't remember exactly), which I will call a "deconstructed ramen." It was ramen noodles served in Santouka's house shio broth with all the toppings served on the side. The toppings were 5 or 6 slices of pork cheek, scallions, wood ear, bamboo shoots, a slice of pink-swirl fish cake and a tiny pickled plum. As an FYI if you come here, if you are trying to decide between the kara miso broth and the shio broth, PICK THE SHIO. The shio broth was much more flavorful and tastier than the kara miso, I was actually quite disappointed with my broth choice of kara miso after having tasted the shio. For me, there was no noticeable difference in flavor between the pork belly and the pork cheek, although the cheekmay have been a smidge more tender. The serving sizes I thought were okay. I showed up hungry and felt stuffed by the time I finished my regular sized ramen (i didn't even drink all the broth). I probably would opt for the small if I had to decide again to prevent from feeling like a stuffed piggy afterward as the food is quite heavy.

    (3)

  • Jessica Y.

    I was very excited to try Santouka. I had hoped that it would mirror NYC ramen, and it certainly didn't disappoint. The spicy tonkotsu with charshu was delicious. The noodles were firm and fresh, not soggy. The soup was a little bit too oily and salty, though. I probably downed 3 glasses of water after. I wish the egg would just come with the ramen instead of having it be an extra order.

    (4)

  • Wei Y.

    Stopped by here at around 10 pm when I was visiting. The wait was not bad, ~25 minutes. The pork broth was really flavorful, but it was a tiny bit on the salty side. The noodles were nice and firm. The chashu was really tender. Lastly, the egg, omg, it was perfectly cooked. I'd come here every other day if I live near by.

    (5)

  • Vincent H.

    Compared to Santouka in CA, close and good enough! Real busy here but they have the right staff to give you great wait times! (45 was only 40!!) Had the fatty broth with the $1 upgrade to large which was more than enough for me. Good, rich but I felt that the soup could have felt more rich if it sat longer..dunno if it's cause this place is so busy that it's not sitting for over 20 hours but oh well! Takes card and a super modern feel!

    (5)

  • X Z.

    This is my favorite ramen place in Boston. The restaurant and service are impeccable. There are various options for the ramen in addition to adding sides (like japanese fried chicken and an egg) that are also excellent. The green tea had a toasted rice flavor, which was also excellent. There are many comparisons between Santouka and Yume Wo Katare. For the latter, I did not enjoy eating in a schoolhouse-like environment, limited options (only one choice really) and having to stand up and recite my dream. The latter does have wonderful ramen but it is quite fatty. I overall prefer Santouka due to service/good dining experience, choices of various ramen, and excellent sides. Overall, I had a great experience at this place : )

    (4)

  • Kimberly L.

    Really great ramen!! Pluses: a good amount of options/sides, different sizes (my boyfriend eats 3x the noodles I can so we're both happy), perfectly cooked noodles, great miso broth, and soft boiled eggs were cooked to perfection (we're very picky about the eggs in our ramen). Haven't tried any of the apps, but they also look good. Minuses: there's pretty much always a wait, but I guess that's expected when it's so delicious! The service was also fairly slow last time I went, which isn't ideal when you're starving.

    (4)

  • Shaun H.

    When I first looked this place I found the website was in Japanese by default, which I'd say is a good sign. Yes this chain restaurant is based out of Japan, in fact this is their first location on the east coast. So to be clear this is in fact authentic ramen, probably the best you will find on the east coast. Be warned this place usually has a line, but their efficient about seating people and if you put your name in they'll text you when your table is ready. All the broths are made fresh and are savory and flavorful. I've never been to Japan but my the friends I was with had and tell it stacks up to anything you can get there. Their prices are good (at least by Boston standards), and the wait staff is friendly so overall I highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Sara M.

    I have been to Santouka's other locations in North America and this one is pretty comparable. Once the full menu is available, I think this will be the best ramen-ya in the Boston area. I ordered a large tonkotsu toroniku with ajitama and stuck with water. The broth is as silky and rich as I remember but I struggled to finish the bowl, which is rare. A medium size will suit one well since they serve you a lot of meat. The noodles were toothsome enough but I have had better. The price is still pretty high but that is to be expected unfortunately. Overall, it is a delicious bowl of noodles and I hope they offer sake soon.

    (4)

  • Rani P.

    I really liked the ramen here, but it didn't change my life. (Yes, some bowls of ramen have.) The atmosphere was great, and service friendly. It is definitely a place for ramen lovers to check out, but it isn't unique enough to be a destination. Surprisingly we got a seat right away for a party of three on a Sunday at noon, but it quickly filled up. I'm looking to try a different style next visit and get this review up to at least a 4!

    (3)

  • Denise A.

    Are you craving ramen and are in Harvard square? Then you're in luck because Santouka is here to provide you with the best of broths. Unless you come here for dinner, in which case you'll probably have to wait about an hour. Not too bad since H square is a fun place to walk around and they'll send you a text. You can even check the link they send you to see how long till you're seated. They've got a few different broths. All heavy on umami and varying degrees of spice. No fare for vegetarians as far as I could tell. But if that's not a concern (and you don't keep kosher) it's fantastic! Very delicious, filling meal. The smaller bowl should be enough for lunch but this ramen is so good you'll finish the regular portion. Even I was able to finish it and usually noodles+soup+chopsticks is my Waterloo. So exhausting I fail at finishing. Except not this time. A bit on the pricy side, and maybe a bit crowded, but I am overall happy Santouka is here!

    (4)

  • Tanya C.

    Best Ramen! I came with a friend thanks to Yelp and since there was only two of us we were seated right away. I had the TONKOTSU KARA MISO RAMEN and CHA-SHU GOHAN. The pork was okay, nice and soft and well flavored. The ramen was delicous. Very flavorful, perfectly cooked egg, chewy fresh ramen. The server was friendly and attentive. The location is a bit loud anddecorated for the younger crowd.

    (5)

  • Lillian C.

    Yay for a new ramen place!!! I love anything in noodle soup! I came when they first opened during lunch time and unfortunately had to wait FOREVER!!! At least they take your name and number down so you can go walk around. Luckily, there are a lot of stores and restaurants in the area so it was easy to kill time. The menu was still limited and only had ramen. I can't wait until they have a fuller menu with rice bowl options. I tried the spicy ramen and added an egg. The smaller size bowl was enough to fill me up so the portion size was good. The soup was very rich, but not overly spicy. The noodles and vegetables were all cooked perfectly and the meat was also delicious! Service was impeccable and super friendly! Keep up the good work!

    (4)

  • Jessica L.

    We went during their soft opening and our expectations were exceeded. There was a 30 minute wait on Sunday during lunch, so we gave them our phone number and they texted us when our table was ready. We went to the bar next door for drinks so it was perfect. The service was outstanding. They were knowledgeable about the different broths they offer. We went with shoyu (soy) and karamiso (spicy). The ramen itself was pretty amazing. Not to salty, not too spicy. The pork cheek was like buttah. My boyfriend had the pork belly and he loved it. For extra toppings we ordered the marinated soft boiled egg and corn with butter. The marinated soft boiled egg was deliciously creamy with a hint of soy flavor. The corn was served cold so the butter didn't melt. Not sure if that's intentional, but doesnt matter when you're putting it in hot soup! We were full for hours. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Karin Y.

    There aren't that many great ramen places in Boston, but I think this competes with Sapporo for the best in the MA area. The broth was really good (some people have said that they think it's too salty, but I actually like that) and I like my noodles on the chewier side so I was happy :) I also like that you can downsize or go up on the size of your ramen, so that if you're not a heavy eater, you can enjoy the taste without leaving leftovers. I like the restaurant itself- very cool, modern vibe, spacious. It can get really busy during weekends, and they used to (not sure if they do it still) have this text message wait-list link -- it's a good concept, but the link didn't work for me, so I just waited outside and periodically checked in with the hostess to get an update on our spot in line. I did have one bad experience -- I came in around 8:30pm, and was told the wait was going to be 45 minutes, and had to wait almost 2 hours, which I thought was a bit crazy. Now, if I'm craving Santouka, I try to go at off-times to avoid the wait/line altogether.

    (4)

  • Greg F.

    This noodle house is wonderful. Food is so authentic ! Music a little loud but at least if great Jazz

    (5)

  • Lina C.

    I came here on a weekday and theres no line during lunch hour. Quick service and friendly staffs. I ordered the ramen set, its around $15-$17 comes with ramen and fried chicken. I had shoyu ramen. The noodles are not naked, the soup is fine and abit salty for me and I like the pork its soft and not too fat. The fried chicken is soft and juicy on the inside. I also had gyoza for appetizer, its just okay.

    (4)

  • Andrew P.

    Came here with pretty high expectations since everybody was hyping it up. The inside had a spacious waiting area which is really nice during the winter time. I went with a group of 3 around we were seated immediately around 5 pm. My japanese professor actually told me to get the toroniku ramen which came with a lot of extra pork. The pieces of pork cheek were super tender and flavorful. I wish they came with a little bit of a char on them but that's nit picking. Broth was really salty and that's something I don't mind that much. I got the shoryu base so it was a little expected. I really like the flavor on the broth. Definitely not a light broth. The noodles were pretty good. I generally like my ramen with a nice little bite to them and these were a tad soft. Still really good and nice portion for what you get though. This was a soft opening so the variety of food they had was limited but it'll probably open up more when they have their grand opening. Service was great. My water was constantly filled, check taken and give back within minutes. My personal rankings of ramen places in Boston is now 1. Santouka 2. Pikaichi 3. Totto 4. Yume Wo Katare 5. Snappy ramen 6. Sapporo 7. hmart Sapporo 8. Waga mama 9. Instant ramen 10. Inaka

    (4)

  • Laura S.

    The ramen here is definitely good. Not a good place if you're not a pork fan though, as they only have one broth which is made from pigs. You can however get it spicy or not spicy. This is a great lunch spot, as proof by the fact that it was absolutely PACKED at 11am on a Tuesday, although it is in a pretty prime location for ramen in Harvard Square. The hostess logs you into a computer system that makes managing their quick turnover, and masses of people pretty easy. The food was great. I was able to sub out my pork belly for an extra egg. You area also able to order extras, such as extra egg, corn, nori, noodles, whatever your heart desires (as long as it's on the menu). It's definitely the best ramen that I have had in the area (although I have been avoiding the ever popular Yume Wo Katare in Porter). Over all a delicious meal, we only waited about 15 minutes (and the place was packed). My mom, my friend, and myself all left pleasantly satisfied with our lunches. I will say, my mom had never eaten ramen, and found the menu kind of confusing (it definitely is....it's picture focused with minimal wording, probably since the clientel that eat here are multilinguial), but the waitress, had very little patience for explaining the menu to my mom. I find anyone who is even the least bit rude to my mother to be irritating, but this also isn't the kind of place you're coming to for good service, so I let it go. Santouka still gets 4 stars for the product!!

    (4)

  • Nicky F.

    The pork cheeks were amazing here! I got the toroniku ramen and it was sooooo good. The meat was really soft it melts in your mouth. The broth has the right amount of salt. I ordered the regular size for lunch and it wasn't too big. I can't wait for its "real Opening" with more things added to the menu.

    (5)

  • Joy C.

    Since moving to Boston, I've foraged and researched extensively for a satistfying bowl of ramen. After trying a few restuarants and leaving sorely disappointed, I was beyond excited to hear that Santouka was opening in Harvard Sqaure. After waiting an hour for lunch on a Sunday, I ordered the Tonkotsu Cha-shu miso ramen with karamiso (spicy paste) and upgraded to a large size for $1. The moment I tasted the broth, I let out a sigh of happiness-I had found a decent bowl of ramen in Boston! The flavor had a rich depth but wasn't overwhelming in its saltiness or spice level. I also enjoyed the additions of bamboo and wood ear mushroom that came in the bowl. And though the cha-shu or fatty pork itself was more tender than previous places I've tried, it wasn't the melt-in-your-mouth level that I've been seeking. In addition, the ajitama (soft-boiled egg) I ordered as another topping was a little bit too cooked for my liking and lacked the custard-like consistency expected. However, the noodles were perfect (firm and not too soggy) and plentiful, and I couldn't even finish the large portion (which says a lot because I can usually shovel it away when I'm famished). Service was friendly and prompt, and I liked how the water bottle was left on table to help me drown out the massive sodium consumption. I also appreciated the texting notification system while waiting for the table since it gave me free rein to explore Harvard Square without worrying about losing my spot in line. It's definitely not as good as Ippudo in New York, but in comparison to other places in the greater Boston area, I'd say Santouka stands above the rest.

    (4)

  • Jimmy B.

    Anyone who doesn't give 4+ stars, has no appreciation for ramen. Which is fine - but ramen enthusiasts, I plead you to listen and to read only me, and your tongues will be hefty satisfied with your belleh as jolly as good old Santa. Santouka, which has a strong presence in Japan, has only a handful of stores in the US. Bless us with their decision to open in Boston (bow to the ramen gods), and their strategic decision for the educational hub of Harvard Square. This already gives you an idea - an international chain that hasn't been altered from it's cultural roots. Even the designs of the store reflects this - from the storefront visualizing the ramen bowls in plastic figures (a common restaurant marketing design in Asia) to the chic and clean interior within, this store emulates the feeling of what I would expect when walking into a trendy ramen shop in the new millennium. And although one of my first fears would be to halt - this doesn't look like a legit traditional ramen shop with limited seats set in a predated era - I encourage you to continue and trust your unquenchable desire to seek the best ramen in Boston. Moving to the main spectacle, the ramen. With a limited menu which will soon be expanded later after opening (squeal!), I've had the opportunity to enjoy a bowl of their signature Tonkotsu Shio Ramen during a private Yelp event. However, as I didn't want to be biased, I came back separately as a real patron, and ordered their Tonkotsu Kara Miso Ramen with a side order of Aji-Tama (seasoned egg with a molten yolk). The second time, MAY have been better despite a wonderful event the first time. Both ramen bowls were delicious - the Shio more down to the basic form, with the 20-hour broth at it's purest, seasoned with a few dashes of salt, and finished with a Umeboshi (pickled plum) on top. This is also known as their "Lipstick in a bowl," symbolizing the finishing touch of a carefully prepared ramen, similar to the prep a woman takes when getting ready for a night out, with red lipstick as the last step to dazzle all. Delicious and simple - extremely satisfying. The Kara Miso, which is their lone spicy bowl of ramen as of yet, was such a perfect blend of spiciness and broth that my tongue just couldn't even. COULDN'T EVEN. Just. Can't. It was absolutely perfect - just enough spice to keep my spicy craves satisfied, but not overwhelming where their special broth was eclipsed like some other establishments. Man, now that is ART. To wrap up the quality of the food, broth is their key winner. Their egg noodles, made al dente, was springy and not too shabby. Their pork slices, was unfortunately varying - some were juicy, others a bit dry. Their side order of egg, pricy for $2 extra, was satisfying with a perfect molten yolk. Bamboo shoots were deliciously marinated, and the wood ear mushroom (I swear that's the real name - it sounds gross but is very tasty!) was also fresh and crisp. In terms of overall toppings, they keep it very simple here, which may be a turn-off for those few that enjoys the harem of variety in one bowl. However, the simplicity and purity of their broth really wins everything over. Prices are a respectable range for the quality, and are over $11 a bowl. I would HIGHLY suggest "supersizing" your order to a large for only $1 - the difference between the normal and the large is akin to comparing Tyrion vs Jaime Lannister (sorry for my Games of Throne reference). All that extra broth and noodles for $1 more? Damn you, I'll never lose weight. In summary? Santouka, marry me. I'll be your faithful hubby and will look at no other ramen bowl, I promise.

    (5)

  • Kevin L.

    Every time a new Ramen shop opens, food Nazis converge and scrutinize all the components of the sacred noodle soup. Finally, I made it to Santouka. My qualifications for being a seasoned Ramen eating monster is multiple trips to Totto Ramen in NY and Daikokuya in LA. Don't take this review lightly. Take it with a heavy dose of salt. Okay. All the jokes aside. Everyone got their own idea of the perfect ramen. This is just my take at the ramen craze. First, my friend and I waited close to an hour. You walk in and the host puts your name on a iPad. You can check your position online but not sure how well its working.. Waiting was a pain. There were three open tables for over ten minutes while we waited and we were suppose to be next to be seated. Now the ramen!! We got the Tonkotsu Shio Ramen and the Tonkotsu Toroniku Ramen (karamiso). The karamiso is 4/10 spicy. You won't be sweating afterwards. The broth is thick and moderately flavorful. I usually drink most of my broth but strangely I stopped about a quarter of the way. The noodle consistency reminds me of a al dente pasta. It tasted as it was a packaged ramen that was instantly heated up. This was the major disappointment to me. The pork meat was delicious and fatty. Try the extra pork toppings if you are especially hungry. The pork cheek is delicious and tender. The marinated egg is also good too. Overall, Santouka is a decent ramen shop. I personally think its better than all the other Boston shops. However, the service is on the slower side. Our waitress was friendly though. The broth and ramen could be better.

    (3)

  • Celin W.

    Still in their soft opening so menu is just ramen - looking forward to seeing what else they add because the ramen itself has been quite impressive! Service is also very good and efficient. 1) Put your name down and you will get texted when your table is ready. Which is a nice system 2) On weekends, expect to wait ~30-40 mins, but if not wait is less than 20 minutes. 3) They allow small medium and large portions which is really helpful! Nice to shave off a little cost so that one can feel less bad about adding ingredients eg., soft boiled eggs / pork / vegetables. 4) Really liked the spicy ramen! I've tried the plain miso one and its good too but I think the spicy is better (this could be based on personal preference).

    (4)

  • Samantha L.

    Santouka is located in Harvard Square next to Grafton Street Pub and Grill. Being from Washington, DC, their ramen trumps that of at least eight restaurants in DC (e.g., Azuma Izakaya, Blue Fin Oishii, Temari, Satsuma, Ren's Ramen, Sakuramen, Toki Underground, and Daikaya) and one restaurant in Boston (e.g., Sapporo Ramen). I'm not a fan of thick, high in sodium broth like the ones at Sapporo Ramen. Their Tonkotsu Shio Ramen is their signature ramen, which consists of silky tonkotsu broth enhanced with simple salt flavor. The broth is made from cooking the pork bone marrow for almost a day. This ramen bowl consisted of homemade ramen noodles, bamboo shoots, pickled plum, braised pork belly, pink swirl fish cake, scallion, mushroom, and sesame seeds. I like how the flavoring is light and salty enough.

    (5)

  • Kevin B.

    I'm so excited that my favorite ramen chain from Japan, and now my new favorite ramen place in the Boston area, has finally opened a location in Cambridge. I've been to the locations in California many times and I'm happy to find the quality exactly the same. If anything this location is better because it's not in a cramped food court like other locations and you get real spoons. Although, the prices are a couple dollars higher and you have to factor in tip, it's competitively priced for the Boston area. We had an hour wait but service was great after we were seated. I can't wait for the full menu when it's available, there were some things I haven't seen at the other locations. I'm sure this location is going to do great!!

    (5)

  • Graceypoo M.

    Went to Cambridge to run errands and lucked out finishing a few minutes early to get in line behind 15 people already before this place opened at 11am, Saturday. Was seated right away. 15 minutes upon opening, Got the tonkotsu ramen, shio broth, with pork cheeks (pricier than the pork belly, and they give you 7 slices, a bit too many; should have an option for a smaller side), a side of soft boiled egg (extra $2), and seaweed/mushroom side. What is that crunchy, tart/pickled berry on top? It was lovely. Above average ramen, it's good, there's some depth of flavor. The noodles could use more chew to it (maybe in the water for too long). If I'm hankering for a good bowl of ramen, Santouka is a good spot to hit up.

    (4)

  • Diane H.

    So the first time I came here was opening day, but that was for a yelp event so it doesn't really count... I came here again last week, on Sunday and was quoted a 45-60 minute wait that you have to actually walk in-in life to put your name down. Walked in at 12:45pm, left after putting my name down for a group of 3 and at 1:07pm they texted me that the table was ready. WOW, i had quoted my friend maybe it would take 20 mins because ramen goes fast! Silly us...we all ordered Large and added add ons. I got the pork cheek ramen around $16.25 and added an egg $2. We all ate half...of our orders... my boyfriend got the spicy ramen and i thought that was okay but he really liked it and he added extra meat for $5, which mean 5-6 more slices of pork belly/pig cheek! mmm Water does smell funny, like an aquarium haha. Service was fine-- i guess they don't really do take-away because they only had the container..but no cover but the server made it work! Thanks! 3 Large bowls came out to be about 60$ or so. I will order regular or small next time-- because at the end it gets reallyyy salty (the soup) but the pork cheek was the most tender meat i've ever had, for pork anyways.

    (4)

  • Ali S.

    I love ramen, and I've tried most of the ramen places in Boston/Cambridge. This place is definitely the best. Yes, it's pricey, but it is the best in Boston. The noodles, broth (both the shio and karamiso), and pork are all really well done. I'm excited to add an egg the next time I go. There will probably be a wait if you go for dinner, but they'll text you when your table is ready so it's super easy!

    (5)

  • S T.

    Solid! The takoyaki is a must get. The broth cooks for 20 hours. Delicious. Can't decide if I like this place or Sapporo Ramen better. Modern & clear decor, but poor acoustics..it's not a quiet date place.

    (4)

  • Nanci C.

    Found this place through Yelp. It is certainly the best ramen in the Bean Town. It almost exceeds to the ramen in Japan. Tastes like the ramen in NYC though. Pikaichi Ramen stands at #2 in Bean Town now. The interior is quite modern and it was a busy Friday, yet I got in to sit immediately. I love the eggs but not so much the fatty pork belly. It tastes good but I just don't like to eat meat as much. Still very delicious. My server was very nice, he was also very patient to this lady next to me that never had ramen. He explained the menu throughly to her. Went a few more times and tried different soups. I finally had the spicy miso yesterday and it wasn't spicy at all. Wish the soup was hotter though. Also don't like it when servers have to say the name of the soup and splash saliva all on top of your soup. Forgot to ask them if they have that dinner combo of the ramen soup with the salmon rice bowl. Will bring my friend next time to try. I also like how they have those baskets for people to put their bags in. There is always extra napkins on the table if you need them. Unlike other places that places one piece of napkin. They also text you when you are next to be serve.

    (4)

  • Wilma O.

    While I'm getting a little tired of every restaurant jumping on the ramen trend, Santouka makes it all worth it. It's authentic (a Japanese chain), unique (with their specialty being shio, or salt, ramen), hip (less casual than other places), and delicious! The soup is well flavored but not as overwhelming as Yume wo Katare (which is still wonderful in its own right), the toppings are all delicious, and the meat is super high quality. Some details: - Corn and butter -- it was my first time trying this topping on ramen, and it was delicious! Corn is a natural ramen topping, and butter adds some good creaminess - Aji-tama -- one of the tastier ones of the local ramen shops -- this one has a creamy yolk and a good yet not overwhelming soy sauce flavor. - Pork cheek -- amazing. It's a bit much if all your meat is pork cheek (super rich!) so split it with someone if you can. Overall, probably my favorite ramen shop in Boston at the moment! (Yume comes close though, just not a place I can eat at regularly.) I look forward to when their full menu will open up!

    (5)

  • Gertrude C.

    I came here on a weekend for supper. I ordered the Shio ramen. Their ramen is okay, nothing special. Their broth is tasty, but you can't taste the flavour from meat bones... I was disappointed that you have to pay extra to get the egg...especially given their price (small bowl of ramen is $10.25 with one piece of meat; regular is 11.25 with two pieces). A ramen egg isn't optional. I think this place is fine if you haven't tried ramen before, don't eat ramen very often, or are craving for some Asian food in Harvard Sq. Also, I ordered it less salty and it's just right for me.

    (3)

  • Edward L.

    This placed just opened a few days ago and is still in soft opening mode, but I've recently been testing out all the Boston area ramen places so I decided to brave the line. For one, it's not so much a line because they text AND call you once your table is free. They said 45 minutes and it was only 35, and they didn't mind me taking 10 minutes to get back from where I was shopping. Hostess was excellent and even said bye to me by name when I left! Staff is extremely attentive. Lots of micromanaging managers on the floor, which this place couldn't function without given how cramped it is (though the décor is quite nice and modern, just not Japanese). I was apologized to about a dozen times by the waitress for every little thing, which got to be a bit much. Tea was refilled every 5 minutes for free and was decent (black, not green). I got their signature shio ramen and was quite impressed. Less greasy than Yume wo Katare's in Porter so I didn't feel like I was oozing garlic and pork fat. Slightly less flavorful, but still excellent. I felt relatively healthy eating this, strangely enough. Good standard and extra toppings. The spicy ramen also looked good. Small, medium, and large sizes are available, though they're not huge American portions and the large left me still wanting more. I wanted to finish the broth, but it was a bit too salty and not particularly flavorful so I left it. Good quality noodles that paired well with the broth. Menu had a lot of choices, including salads and desserts. I was impressed with the classic Japanese plastic food models in the restaurant window, something I hadn't seen in Boston before. Overall, a great experience. While I don't generally like ramen, this place might make me a fan.

    (4)

  • Adonia K.

    This is more like a 3.5 rating instead of a 3, but I thought rounding down to 3 was more reflective of thought. Dined here with the Mr. on a Sunday afternoon (around 2pm) and the wait wasn't too bad (15-20 min). We sat in the waiting area, which is a nice perk, and even received some complimentary hot tea while we waited. We were texted when our table was ready, which was also a plus. The decor is modern and clean. Seating is a little tight, but it didn't bother us too much. We both ordered large miso ramens with a side of pork cheek/pork belly and corn with butter. I really liked the corn/butter combo and the pork cheek was excellent - melt in your mouth soft. The pork belly was just ok to me. I didn't like the bamboo at all. I loved the corn with butter...yum. It was a late lunch and we hadn't eaten anything all day, so we finished our larges with no problems. On a regular day, I'd probably get a regular size. The Mr. would probably get a large by default any time, because it's only $1 more than regular (he's very big on value - hehe). The thing is, I didn't end the meal thinking I have to come back. It was good but not great. The bar has been set high for me by Ippudo, so maybe that's why. I wonder if they plan to expand the menu to include pork buns... I would come back for those. I'm surprised to see the negative reviews regarding service. Our waiter was super attentive and even apologized for the not so long wait and also the wait for our ramen, which wasn't long at all. We were also given a big bottle of water so we didn't have to wait for refills (win-win for everyone). All in all there's a lot of pros: great service, ambience, communication by text, but unfortunately it's the food that brings the star rating down. it was a good experience, but not a "mind blowing must come back" one. If they add pork buns to the menu, I'd be interested enough to come back.

    (3)

  • Annabel T.

    I've been to the Santouka branch in Singapore before, and I was a fan then. This branch lived up to similar standards, although I believe the portions here are bigger (probably American sized) compared to the one back in Asia. We came at 8.15pm on a Friday night and expected to wait an hour. However, after having left our names with the hostess, we were texted some 5 minutes later to say that our table was ready. This was a pleasant surprise! We were seated at a large 10-person rectangular table with others, which sort of gave a hibachi type vibe. Anyway, the food came out quickly. I got the spicy miso ramen ($1 extra for the large portion, so naturally I took the large size) with a side of ajitsuke tamago (six minute ramen egg, $2). My noodles were cooked a bit too al dente for my liking, but it was quite good nonetheless. Had a good bit of bite to it. I really liked the pork belly that came with my noodles; it was just fatty enough for me! This bowl didn't leave me feeling sick like the noodles at Yume Wo Katare. Always a good sign. With tips, my bill came to $20. I'll be coming back if ever I have a ramen craving.

    (4)

  • Mina P.

    I heard about this place from a friend and I've been longing to go. I went with a group of friends on a Wednesday night and there was still a long wait. (About an hour wait) The place is very clean and simple. I personally like the interior of the restaurant. Once we got seated I ordered the tonkotsu toroniku ramen - karamiso flavor (spicy one). The food came out pretty quickly and The ramen was delicious. Out of all the ramen places I've tried here, this is probably one of the better ones. Although it's good, I don't know if it is worth paying that much for a bowl of ramen.

    (3)

  • Felicia C.

    Tried the one in Toronto, wasn't super impressed and now newly opened in Boston, got to give it a go. Went on a Friday late lunch hour and tried out 3 of their ramens in small size ($1 less/ bowl). Seatings are very similar to Ippudo in NY, 2 big tables in the middle to share and 2 people small tables against the walls. Great location, decor was nice, very chic. Soup broth were good but more to the salty side, noodles were standard, chashiu was not fatty since two of our ramens, we got the ends of the pork. They will peobably expand their menus later with other japanese dishes but for now, it is a one time thing.

    (3)

  • Paola C.

    Great new ramen place In Harvard square! We happened across them in search of good winter food. We went in during their soft opening and had a great lunch. You get a great amount of food for the price and the food tastes fresh. I ordered the spicy ramen and was very pleased. What I liked most about it was that it was not just hot but spicy and full of flavor. Will definitely return!

    (4)

  • Samuel F.

    Believe the hype! After the success of Yume, people have evidently decided that Cambridge is ready for more top-quality ramen. The menu is still somewhat limited, it still says "soft opening" and has a dearth of non-pork options (enough to prompt the couple who arrived after me to change their mind and reverse course out the door without ever ordering). But pork ramen is good by me. There's a variety of choices in broth and toppings, I went with the shoyu (flavored with soy sauce) broth, with additional egg. Normal size here isn't as ludicrous as at many ramen places, but it's certainly a full meal. The crowds have been ridiculous here since opening, but there were a few spots open today (close to close on a weekday evening), so I didn't have to wait. If you like ramen, definitely give it a try!

    (4)

  • Eva B.

    I tried many ramnes in different locations. I even attended to my friend chef's kitchen how he makes. I really appreciates all the process making ramens. It takes average 18 hours. Lots of work. Compare to the work, $13 is not bad for medium size bowl. Ramen in Japan is very salty. However, the ramens here are TOO SALTY! I could not finish my broth. Toppings are just okay. Just met the average!

    (3)

  • Marina N.

    My boyfriend and I went in last week for dinner around 8 P.M. We were greeted by a sweet hostess, Courtney. There was a little bit of a wait, maybe 20 minutes? With all the reviews I've been hearing from friends in the industry, I had to try Santouka! Luckily, we were sat within 10 minutes! Our server, Jim, came over to us instantly. There are small 2-top tables and larger community tables. They even have foldup caddies to put your bags, backpacks, etc. in on the side, so you don't have to leave it on the floor/in the way. (I could be easily amused..^__^) The place is modern/minimal and hip. Johnny, the manager, suggested the Tonkotsu Kara Miso Ramen--a spicy broth. He was very personable, attentive and knowledgeable. I was really tempted to go for the Tonkatsu Miso Ramen, but Jim helped my indecisive self make a final decision. We both went for the Kara Miso (made it a large for +$1) + Bara Toro Cha Shu, 3 Yakumi and Corn w/butter. No egg this time because I knew we'd be full off or large bowl and the extra sides. We didn't wait too long before or dishes arrived looking hot and delicious, and that's exactly what it was! The noodles were al dente, and the broth.. was perfect. It was a medium level spicy, so good. The pork was salty and a great balance in the dish. Mmm.. yum! Jim came by to check in and fill our drinks. He was really cool and professional the whole time. I'm not a real foodie, but this is my new #1 spot for ramen, and we'll be venturing out to Harvard Sq. not only for the food, but also for the great service and atmosphere! Thanks so much Jim & Johnny!

    (5)

  • Jocelyn T.

    Very good ramen, just too expensive. We came in here as a group of 5 on a Saturday evening and only waited about 20 minutes. I was expecting much worse. They had a big waiting area with free water, but they send you a text when your table is ready so we waited outside in the nice weather. After we were seated they took our order very quickly and the ramen came pretty fast, despite the fact that they were busy. I ordered Kara Miso and was very satisfied. The ingredients were super fresh and the noodles were really chewy and good. The broth was good but could have been spicier-- I still prefer Pikaichi's broth! I also really liked that you could order different sizes at different price points. Other ramen bowls can sometimes be a challenge for me to finish so it's nice to have options. Overall though just really expensive. My small order came out to $12.50. I can't remember if that was before or after tip, but at Pikaichi for the same price you get almost twice as much ramen, curry rice on the side, and tip. Extra props to the staff though because I knocked a glass over and shattered it everywhere (had a few beers before the ramen oops) and they literally ran over and swept it up in two seconds, and they were so nice to me about it even though I was really embarrassed.

    (4)

  • Ken I.

    "Are you kidding me??" This was what came up on my mind after I saw and tasted their Shoyu Ramen. I can make this at home myself using "instant" ramen I can get from any Asian super market for a buck! I am a Japanese. I know what good ramen is. Their ramen was nothing like that. Man, what a disappointment. I came here all the way from Allston and paid $15(including the tip) for instant ramen I can make myself at home. Having said that, the waiter was nice. The restaurant itself is very stylish and I liked it but their ramen is, again, instant ramen you can make yourself at your own home.

    (1)

  • Shir L.

    It was a 30 min wait on a monday night at 5:30 pm. I've heard friends say they waited from 1-2 hours, I guess we got lucky. It's a good location to be in, we walked to ottos for a snack while waiting. On my last bite of the slice, they texted me saying the table was ready, perfect timing. It was still a "soft opening", so they have a limited menu - no appetizers, only ramen. This place has a well flavored brothe and soft cheek meat (WINNER, hands down) but my noodles got soggy real fast; I prefer my noodles to have a bite/chewy texture. i don't know why the noodles and meat became super salty towards the end, i finished everything but couldn't drink the soup afterwards. I'll come back to try their full menu, maybe after all the hype and long lines.

    (4)

  • Dave P.

    the noodles are better than snappy ramen or Sapporo ramen. I got the spicy miso broth and it was just so well balanced. and the overall experience of dining there is very upscale compared to other ramen shops around town. I just don't care for the staff's Japanese greeting. It feels too gimmicky especially when they're non-Japanese (well, most of them are). Ask for their loyalty card if you don't get one in the bill. You get free Gyozas after 5th visit and a free bowl of ramen after your 10th visit.

    (4)

  • Vincent L.

    To be honest, this actually deserves a 3.5 / 5.0 rating but unfortunately I'm unable to do that on yelp. Things I Liked: - Decor: Definitely one of the more modern restaurants you'll run into at Harvard Square. It's mellow, decently sized, and gives off a very museum type feel. - Ramen: The food itself is delicious. One of the best Ramen I've had in Boston/Cambridge. The broth is very flavorful, the ramen tastes very fresh, and it's not too thick like other places such as Sapporo. I love spicy foods, so their spicy dishes were actually not as spicy as one might think, it's like a child kicking your shin in comparison versus other Ramen places like Pikaichi which is like Christiano Ronaldo kicking your shin. Things I Don't Like: - Ramen: (see above) - Serving size: For the price you pay, I definitely expected more food. If you're someone who likes small portions, this place is definitely for you. The quality of the broth and ramen are of the highest; however, priced at ~ $14 a bowl, you can get a bigger bowl + extra ramen (essentially another bowl) for the same price at Pikaichi. - Wait Time: Depending on what time you go, this place can get VERY crowded. The service is nice and quick but given the size, there isn't much space for big parties to sit. Overall: Great place to eat for lunch or dinner. It's located right next to the T, and Harvard Square is right there so there's always something to do afterwards. I wouldn't take a first date there (unless they really like ramen) but great location for a couples night.

    (3)

  • Kejing W.

    Food: 2 stars Decor：4 stars Food looks nice, tastes ok. Decor: Japanese version " Panera Bread". Standardized Japanese Morden Ramen Fast-food restaurant. Good Good Good

    (3)

  • Matthew S.

    This place wasn't great. For $12 they don't even serve the ramen with an egg. And the broth stinks. Literally, it stinks. I don't think they prepare the bones properly before cooking them. The atmosphere is very nice and the service is great (except for the frequent shouting of Japanese words). I'll go back when the soup stops smelling.

    (2)

  • Tiffany J.

    I was surprisingly underwhelmed by Santouka Harvard Square. I had heard that wait times were as long as 2 hours, and on a Saturday night shortly before 5PM, we had to wait around 30 minutes to be seated at a table for two. Ordered a small shiyo ramen. Pork belly slices - First off, as a disclaimer, I didn't taste any of the pork belly because I don't eat pork anymore (but on rare occasion I will drink pork/beef/chicken broth). I hear it was very tender, though. A small bowl came with two thick slices. Broth - The shiyo (salt-flavored) broth was rich and very fatty. You could see oil droplets all over the top layer of the soup. I was only able to finish less than half the bowl of broth because of how heavy it was. Noodles - The noodles are harder than expected (or, in Chinese parlance, not very "Q"). Price - Not bad at all. My small bowl cost something around $11. Ambiance - Crowded (like any authentic Asian eatery!), busy, and surprisingly "upscale-feeling" for the location in Harvard Square. I'll probably come back, but not in the near future. Substitutes of comparable price and quality exist in the greater Boston area (i.e. Pikaichi, Yumi Wo Katare). Plus, pre-packaged H-Mart ramen imported from Japan (not the dry kind but the refrigerated kind!) is a close enough substitute for a small fraction of the price, that, I'm not sure I'll be craving Santouka that often. Still, the quality is excellent and probably consistent in the way that franchises should be.

    (4)

  • Jeanie N.

    Went back to try another ramen just to gauge how I feel about this place. Had their spicy one - no worries, not super spicy (definitely less spicy than hot cheetos) My experience reiterated everything I had to say last time. The ramen will satisfy you if you're looking for a good, hot, filling bowl of soup, but it won't blow your mind or leave you raving. Service is 5 stars. They're still in their "soft opening" so the pork buns on the menu, I was told, are not being offered. After coming here twice, I don't feel the need to come back. But I would suggest that everyone goes at least once.

    (3)

  • Jacqueline C.

    Superb service and friendly staff! We came here at1:30 for a party of two. 30min wait was a bit long for this hour, but we didn't mind. We love the tonkotsu ramen in spicy and the signature ramen (first picture on the back or the menu) they were all wonderful but I didn't like the bamboo shoot. The staff checked on us and asked if we like the food a couple times lol( maybe too many times) but well we had a great experience. Looking foward to their full menu in a couple weeks.

    (4)

  • Isabelle L.

    I stop by a few days ago. The modern and simple interior was nice. I ordered their symbolic Shio Ramen, the presentation was beautiful but the taste was too salty......I'll try others next time.

    (3)

  • Rachel L.

    Thank you for reviving my ramen crave. Came here yesterday around evening time. It wasn't by the time we finished when it became more crowded. Got seated at a long table. I got the spicy miss ramen regular size and the boy got the soy based large. It was delicious! Can't wait to come back and voyage for more ramen.

    (4)

  • TK W.

    I was so excited Boston opened one. To brag a little, I have been to one in Japan which I won't compare this one with. This one in Harvard, the soup is not on par to say in NJ. My snobby waiter killed it for me too. I enjoyed other Santouka which is more of a casual place. Why this one has to think they are Four Season? I just want to walk in and enjoy a bowl of ramen. Edit: gave them a 3rd try. My brother came for visit. Since he owns Sushi restaurant, it would reminded him when he was in Japan for training. 1 hour wait was crazy, but ok they did gave us an estimate. It is our decision to choose to wait or not. 10min later they told us to visit the bar next door. They have so much business that they have to turn people away. Good for them, but we left. My first time snobby waiter was probably isolated case, but their price is too high for what you get. Again, this one is not as tasty as other Santouka and cost more. Yes, the rent there is crazy I bet. I would say if you never tried, go for it. For the PRICE, taste, and wait, I won't go. It is not enjoyable with the 3 things added together.

    (2)

  • Amy T.

    To start off, don't expect amazing ramen. While the soup is pretty aromatic and flavorful, the noodles felt a little too rubbery for my taste. What you're probably paying for is the ambiance, which features a nice layout of neutral colors and patterns. Central location, and only a few minutes walk from the T-station. It can get loud here though, so make sure to take enough sips of water as you shout over your companions. Overall, it won't replace my favorite ramen place, but it's a nice establishment to drop by once in a while for get-togethers with your favorite family and friends Special mention goes to the runny, boiled egg. A surprisingly delightful drop of sunshine. Eat it and weep

    (4)

  • Andrew H.

    My family had college visits around Boston area. I was disturbed by the waitress or hostess. While my daughter was eating, the lady asked my daughter whether she could take her plates away. My wife responded - "she is working on that." It's rude to clean table while people are still eating. We are not slow eaters. It's about 10 to 15 minutes after food served. Maybe they do not welcome tourists or Asian Americans???

    (1)

  • Karen C.

    Best ramen spot in the Boston area-the cheek meat was melt in your mouth tender and the broth is to die for! Can tell they simmered the bones for broth for hours! The noodles themselves were perfectly cooked and had a nice bite. Always have a delicious experience here-it's worth the wait!

    (5)

  • Bryan N.

    We came here on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. The potstickers were great. I ordered the Tonkotsu Kara Miso Ramen and I must say I wasn't impressed. The soup base wasn't as flavorful as I expected it to be for being rated so high. The egg comes on the side instead of in the soup so it's not as hot when you bite into it. The noodles reminded me of the instant ramen noodle texture. It's definitely not a bad bowl of ramen, just didn't live up to the hype.

    (3)

  • Bee M.

    It was ok, had better at another location. The noodles were not the same.

    (3)

  • Ann K.

    There must be some kind of magic in their kara-miso ramen, because it draws me in again and again, leaving me eminently satisfied, every time! The ambiance is also superb: peppy jazz music, friendly hostesses, awesome waitstaff -- it's more than a meal, it's an experience! : )

    (5)

  • Rose J.

    If we could combine the pork cheek from Santouka, the house ramen broth & noodles from Sapporo, and the experience and passion from Yume, we'd have the perfect ramen shop here in Cambridge. As it stands, Sapporo is still currently my choice for my ramen fix based on price, flavor, and wait time, although Santouka did not disappoint. I had high expectations for Santouka based on the hype and reviews. The wait on a Saturday night around 7pm for 4 people was about 45 minutes. Not bad! They also use the TapGuest waitlist. Awesome! They were still in soft opening (we visited on 4/18), so the menu was still limited. Sad day! I ordered the Tonkotsu Shio ramen. The regular size was just enough for me to feel full but not stuffed. [For comparison: I'm a "good job!" at Yume with the regular size and can also juuuuust finish a bowl of house ramen with no extras at Sapporo.] The broth flavor was satisfying but not as rich as I was expecting and the pork was good but not as strongly seasoned as I would have liked. I was ready to write off Santouka as "OK" until I tried some of the side of pork cheek that my boyfriend ordered. WOOOOOOOW. Best pork I've ever eaten. The ramen tasted ten times better when eaten with the pork cheek. LOVE the pork cheek. Order the pork cheek! We'll come back again, I'm sure. Also, for all those saying this is better than NYC ramen...I have no idea what ramen you tried in NYC, but there's absolutely nothing in Boston that compares...yet. :)

    (4)

  • Emily D.

    I have been to Santoukas all over the world and this was probably the worst one. By Cambridge standards, the ramen was ok. I thought the noodles were fine in terms of texture and firmness (although I prefer mine a bit more firm). But the broth was too salty and the char siu was sub-par. I also didn't like that when we added egg to ours, it came out on the side instead of in the bowl. Just a minor thing I guess, but if you put it in the bowl, it's warm, whereas our eggs were ice cold. If there wasn't a wait all the time, I might pop in from time to time, but it is definitely not worth the wait.

    (2)

  • Naomi U.

    Its pretty good, but it has to be because you have to wait for it! Big Kudos for veggie broth

    (4)

  • Gonen M.

    I am not a big ramen fan, but I tried out this place out of curiosity. I the service was nice. Prices are reasonable.

    (3)

  • Good M.

    Currently in its soft opening, Santouka is the newest addition to Boston's many competitive ramen joints, which draws the attention of the yuppy and hipster college crowd and the like. While the restaurant ambience and decor was very nice, it was too upscale for my taste. "Hole-in-the-wall" ramen joints are the best in my opinion. Now for the ramen: Santouka's tonkotsu broth didn't blow my mind as some of its competitors did. As foodies, their shoyu and miso broths lacked the collagen we enjoy and were too salty and on the greasy side. Noodles were plentiful but just ok, as I like my ramen noodles to have an al dente consistency. The bamboo shoots from a can was unnecessary. And the pork, the char-shu pork was anything but charred. Just pieces of braised pork belly, nothing special. They don't offer vegetarian broths on their menu yet, fyi. Service was exceptional, they text you when your table is ready so you can venture off to nearby shops instead of waiting in the cramped seating area fo 60 minutes. Like many hip new restaurants in the area, Santouka is worth the first time experience. Hopefully changes in their grand opening will entice the locals to keep returning.

    (3)

  • Sebastian S.

    Stopped by with a friend: we ordered the regular pork miso and the spicy miso. The service was fast and friendly. Although the noodles were firm, the pork miso tasted bland, like salted water and nothing else. Meanwhile, the spicy miso was a tad better, but nothing extraordinary. The pork meat was also a bit tough, and the bamboo strips in the soup not chewable. I am surprised by the other extremely high ratings about this place. Like everything in life, it was a hit-or-miss.

    (3)

  • Kimmie P.

    One of the best ramen I ever tasted in Boston. I came with my friends and we we're from out of town visiting and exploring the scenery. Order the Shio Ramen and boy it was super good. Just the right flavor for me. There's other flavor, but I always go for the original or the best seller they have. Might try the other flavor when I come back. The atmosphere was alright, it was quite nice inside, with black and white interior design. I actually like it a lot except for the table which is oddly decorated. However I don't really pay that much attention to it. Service was really amazing. My server was Van and he was absolutely nice and cool. Greet us when we came in and and bid us farewell when we we're leaving. He was running around from table to table taking order and so on, but he would always come and check on us to see if we need anything else. Was incredibly nice. I highly recommend asking for him to be your server.

    (5)

  • Nguyen T.

    I'm from San Diego(allll the way across the country)where there's a Mitsuwa supermarket with Santouka in it. I eat there all the time so finding another branch while visiting Boston was surprising!! Ordered the kara miso ramen with a side of eggs. It came out quickly and tasted exactly like the one in San Diego! Ramen is a few dollars more expensive than back home but definitely lived up to my standards and expectations. Ambiance is casual and modern, service is quick and friendly, and most importantly, food is delicious!!

    (5)

  • Vina A.

    Best Ramen I've had in the Boston/Cambridge area. Walked in as three Japanese businessmen walked out - good sign! The shio ramen is the lightest of the options with tender pork, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo. It has a few layers of flavor and a small little ume plum to clense the palette. The addition of corn and butter adds crisp and sweetness with some creaminess. Not vegetarian at all.

    (4)

  • Alison T.

    Ambiance: I came in on a Friday for lunch, and the place was overflowing. My friend and I managed to quickly get seated as we were a party of two - but not without getting the evil eye from the bigger parties that had been standing around waiting for a while. It was crowded and loud, but it was also lunch rush hour so that may just be a product of the time and not the restaurant. There is very little room to walk between the tables, so do expect to be interrupted by a bump from someone trying to navigate the labyrinth going in all directions from their table. Food: The ramen was rubbery, and the soup was extremely salty - which ruined the whole dish for me. For the same price, you can definitely get better ramen elsewhere in the Square. Service: Stiff and awkward staff, but polite. They seemed to be having just as much trouble navigating around the restaurant as any of the patrons, which I can only imagine adds to the poor experience.

    (2)

  • San W.

    Can an egg be sexy? 'Cause for some reason, in recalling its deliciousness, "Uptown Funk" starts playing in my head. Hot damn. Notes: - Ramen comes as pictured so if you want more than two pieces of cha-shu or a sexy aji-tama, you gotta ask for it and pay extra. - Still in its soft opening with a limited menu. Can't wait to bring my A-game (read: gluttonous, drooling self) when they finally expand to their full menu with pork buns, karaage, rice bowls, and ramen combos. And yes, I already know what I want. - Super friendly service. Multiple voices greet you when you come in with a spring in your step (host calls out and then other waiters respond - think: the wild) and bid you farewell when you roll yourself out the door. Oh, is that just me? - Modern, industrialist, minimalist décor. I don't dig it but I can appreciate it. Ceiling lights remind me of mechanical spiders though, which is a negative. - Broth is super flavorful without being too salty. Noodles are thin and toothsome. Perfect ratio of ingredients. The aji-tama is perfectly marinated, perfectly creamy, and just PERFECT. Do yourself a favor and add it to your ramen. You're welcome. - You can order three different sizes: Large (+$1), Regular, or Small (-$1). You know what they say: Go big or go home. - Food literally comes out within 5 minutes! Sigh. That egg. Hot damn.

    (4)

  • Arthur L.

    Let me first start of stating I LOVE ramen. What was a let down but can be overlooked was the pricing. Ramen in Japan is like always quick service kind of a fast food atmosphere with really cheap pricing. Its a blue color meal,but not here. I get it the location kills the pricing, but come on there's barely any meat and we have to pay extra for eggs which traditionally come with ramen? The flavor of the broth noodles and pork were on point,but to be honest its a little hyped. I would rather go to another ramen restaurant because I wouldn't have to wait 1:15 or pay over $16 for a bowl of ramen with eggs extra meat and corn added.

    (4)

  • C T.

    Finally got a chance to stop in and see what all the buzz was about. On a cold snowy day, I must say it hit the spot and some. I love their texting method to let you know when your table was ready! The hosts were very inviting and helped get us situated in a very prompt and timely manner. While looking over our menu, the manager, Johnny came to check up on us. He was very attentive and checked in on our dinner, asked our opinions and took in our thoughts and suggestions! That's how you do business correctly in this industry. We ended up getting 3 of the styles with extra pork cheeks eggs and I regret not getting the corn (small oversight). My favorite was the spicy ramen (don't bother asking me the actual names) but we had the spicy, house salt, and soy sauce flavored ones. It had just the right amount of garlic and nothing over powered the other. Must say I liked them all the house one was a bit heavier then the rest. I didn't get sick of the broth on any of them, compared to a few other places where 2-3 scoops in and I would be sick of the broth. The highlight for me was the pork cheeks! Yum yum melt in your mouth yum! Haha tender and succulent, full of a nice seasoned flavor. I got the thumbs up from my dining partner which is what matters. Note it also does NOT have a ton of floating gelatinous fat like other shops! THANK YOU Santouka for that! Seriously. I prefer the nice upscale look. The price was very reasonable for 2, full and still got money for gas! Great service will be back!

    (5)

  • Jack C.

    THEY DO NOT SERVE ALCOHOL. So don't expect a Sapporo with your ramen. This would be a bigger issue for me if there was another ramen place within 2 trains, but there isn't so I go here happily. Is beer with ramen not a thing in japan? Anyway, the ramen is great here; delicious and lots of options.

    (4)

  • Coco V.

    Had the Shoyu Ramen with Egg and it was so delicious. I have been craving good ramen since my trip in Vegas and they didn't disappoint here. Limited options right now but honestly, I was there for Ramen and that's what I got. I only wish I lived closer so that I could eat here once a week. Lost a star because of the tiny waiting room. Since they text you when your table is ready, you're encouraged to leave and walk around Harvard and then come back. While that's a great idea in warmer weather, the 20 degree nighttime temp made walking around unappealing for many people and so the sitting area, which isn't big to start with, was packed doing the dinner rush on Saturday. Will definitely go back when I'm in the area though.

    (4)

  • Susan W.

    Pretty decent ramen place.

    (4)

  • Leslie M.

    Finally! A tasty and delicious ramen spot in the Boston area. This is comparable to most ramen joints in NYC and Cali so that's saying a lot. I usually love spicy miso ramen and that's what I normally go for, but surprisingly I found the signature Shio ramen here even better although the Kara miso is a close second. Make sure to add an egg along w the corn and pork cheek to this happy bowl!

    (4)

  • Gina L.

    Although the ramen was fine (not my favorite noodles), it took forever to get seated and served in a fairly empty restaurant. As a single diner, I was forced to wait for a seat at the communal table while several 2-top tables sat empty. I could've eaten and run, but I sat there to wait. I also view ramen as fairly fast food and unfortunately, my meal did not come out quickly. I paid and ate in less than the entire wait time (waiting for a table and then for my meal). Since the ramen was pretty good, I'll give them another try. The whole experience just didn't make sense to me. It seemed that all the servers were standing around waiting for food to come out of the kitchen.

    (3)

  • CeCe Y.

    Got the tonkatsu cha shu for some extra pork belly:) our server was very attentive and sweet. Great broth, a bit salty but hearty meal overall !

    (4)

  • Elena B.

    SOOOOO good. This is the real deal when it comes to ramen. The interior is cool and the service here was great. Our waiter was one of the best waiters I've ever had. I have been recommending this to all my friends since I've been. I got the ramen and rice combo and it was the best decision I could have made. Both dishes were fantastic. My friend also really enjoyed his meal. I will definitely be back here again.

    (5)

  • SJ I.

    Service was great, waiters were friendly and attentive. When it comes to the food, Santouka's broth was on the "too salty" side for my preference. I ordered the Tonkotsu Toroniku Ramen (the one with the pork cheek) with the Miso flavored broth. It's true that the pork slices were tender, however it also contained thick slices of fat. I wish they don't include that thick slices of fat with the meat. Overall, I would say this ramen tastes original, however I'm just not into "salty broth" and pork fat slices.

    (3)

  • Dave G.

    A haiku review: Long wait due to hype, Umami bone marrow broth, Noodle slurping bliss

    (5)

  • Dave Y.

    The food is good but the hostess at the front has some serious attitude issue and requires re-training. My GF and I ask for a separate 2-person table and she could have led us there and sit us down rather than asked us to wait longer when our original seat was taken. Then no apology at all and give us a facial expression that we caused her the trouble. Hey, news flash, IT IS YOUR JOB!! This is probably my last time eating here.

    (3)

  • Sidi L.

    it's not as good as I thought. Noodle is good, but it's too salty to drink the soup. Love the boiled egg

    (3)

  • Stephen B.

    Great addition to Harvard Square. The first time I came here I was a little shocked at how high the prices were, as I was used to the one in Irvine. However once I ordered the pork cheek ramen everything became clear. The ingredients they use are quality and you can taste it. The pork was so tender and delicious, and the broth was perfect! Now if only they will actually pull out their whole menu and end this soft opening nonsense...

    (4)

  • Y T.

    The ramen here is pretty darn good. The staff is very accommodating if you have children. The menu is slightly confusing, as it's not completely clear what the differences are between all the different pictures / listed options. Unlike other ramen joints in Cambridge, it's got a decent amount of seating and it's not cramped.

    (5)

  • Jessica C.

    Came for lunch on a weekday - no wait, sat right down and had great service. Unfortunately they're still on their soft opening for a while (probably for the next month), so ramen and the toppings are the only option. I got the Shoyu ramen, and the soup was absolutely delicious. The ramen noodles were cooked to the perfect softness - soft with a little chewiness and resistance in the center. The bowl comes with two slices of pork that's cooked to perfection. My only problem was that it came really hot, so I couldn't eat it as fast as I wanted. :(

    (5)

  • Yi Z.

    This is a three-star ramen, the one star is for the half hour I waited for the check. The ramen is wayyyyy too salty. I could only finish half of it. Also, the bamboo shoots give you a strong taste of canned food. I will still suggest Totto as the best ramen in Boston.

    (1)

  • Nimith X.

    90 min wait but it was totally worth it. I had the Shio broth and it was amazing. The pork cheek was melt in your mouth delicious. A must try if you're in the area.

    (4)

  • R S.

    It is pretty good, but noodles are not very firm, portions of meat are small, the prices are high, and it is not nearly as good as Sapporo Ramen in Porter Square.

    (3)

  • Roger k.

    Best Ramen in Boston though people should realize that when only two or three serious ramen places exist in a metro area as large as Boston, these places are going to be busy. And the people have a very poor idea how long your wait wlll be to get a table - I was told 1/2 hour to 45 minutes and was called in 5 minutes. They have only been open two weeks so I will give them some slack. As to the Ramen, the spicy miso ramen was excellent and not excessively spicy. The waitress was solicitious and had just graduated from MIT and the staff was very nice though I have low standards in these matters. I rarely have any difficulty with staff at restaurants.

    (5)

  • Angel F.

    So I have only gone once, and I will definitely update the review if and when I have a chance to get another bowl. I am rating 3 stars because I think this is the best ramen by far I have had in this area (its not nearly as good as Totto Ramen, but light years ahead of the two places in Porter Square.) I hope to try again, and my ramen was good, but there were a couple issues. First, the restaurant was just way too flashy and ornate for my taste. Ramen is supposed to be a casual, fun, laid back food experience. Here, the managers and hostesses were decked out in their Sunday's best (suits for the men, very high heels and dresses for the ladies,) and the atmosphere was uneasy, not the relaxed ramen shop ambience you would expect. Besides the atmosphere, the prices were much higher than I expected. First, it seems that the ramen comes in multiple sizes (which is good for people who don't eat a lot, I suppose) however, the price of the regular size was higher than other ramen places in the area (and in New York City.) And, of course, the portion size was smaller. You're given a couple very small and thin (though they were very tasty) pieces of pork, and adding an egg was a whole $2 (double Totto's price.) Considering the comments last year by the CEO that ramen should be "cheap comfort food," I was a bit surprised. Finally, the food. Maybe it was just me, but my miso ramen tasted eerily similar to instant ramen. Of course, you should expect some similarity, instant ramen is a Japanese export just like Santouka. But the similarity here made me wonder about just what was happening in the kitchen. Are the noodles fresh? Is the broth made in house, or is a prepackaged base used? I did enjoy my bowl of miso ramen, but by the end, I was unable to finish off my broth (as I usually do) due to the saltiness. Way, way too salty. One more point. The seating area is oddly designed. They chose to put two long, ornate tables in the middle of the restaurant, which forced strangers to sit awkwardly together. Using the small tables throughout the restaurant would have made more sense, as you could simply put them together for large parties. The small tables are a bit squeezed together. There was a funny, if awkward moment when our ramen arrived as there was no way for the server to get the bowls to our table. I think it took 3 people to figure out how and to and finally bring us our ramen (one of the servers snuck through and then the manager or someone handed him the bowls.)

    (3)

  • Leila L.

    Pricey but good. Good but too salty. They do have a less-salt and less-fat option, which I will definitely opt for next time. The pork (cha shu) is the best I've ever had.

    (4)

  • Eileen X.

    I came here with my boy friend based on yelp review. I ordered their signature ramen. A layer of pork fat floating on my soup. It tasted ok. But I felt thirsty for the rest of the afternoon. It did not worth the money. Unhealthy food! I would not come back again.

    (2)

  • Chris H.

    Loved it. FYI, no alcohol. If you're ordering spicy miso, the default isn't very spicy. They'll make it spicier upon request.

    (5)

  • Ethics G.

    One of the best ramen shops in Boston. This is the latest outpost of a Japanese ramen shop chain. It is a convenient 5 min. walk from the Harvard Square T stop. I ordered the Tokusen Toroniku with pork cheek meat, shio flavored. The broth, which is pork based, has excellent flavor and aroma. It has a rich pork flavor that comes through clearly and is not overwhelmed by miso or soy sauce. I will try the other flavors at a later date. The ramen itself is fairly standard, with a good texture and taste. Not as outstanding as yume wo katare, which has unique noodles, but very good. Pork cheek slices are very good, though not as exceptional as yume wo katare, nor as good as the charred pork at totto ramen. Generous number of slices and still tasty. I ordered my ramen with a soft-boiled egg, which could have been cooked a little less, but nonetheless, had good flavor. I also added nori and extra noodles. They give you a generous helping of scallions which was tasty, and mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Would have liked more mushrooms. The restaurant itself is very civilized. Clean, airy, neat, they also accept credit cards. It is a modern restaurant unlike Sapporo ramen (which is a hole in the wall) or yume (which is cramped and feels like a classroom). staff is very professional and helpful. So if you're looking for a very good execution of the local branch of a chain of ramen shops, here it is. Places like yume wo katare or Sapporo (original location) have a more owner-run/hole in the wall vibe which I personally like. I went a second time with my family, a party of six. They combined three of their smaller tables so that we could sit together. The wait was not too long, and they took my cell phone number to buzz me when the table was ready. Overall, a very good experience.

    (5)

  • Ruby X.

    Came here at 4pm and still need to wait in line for about 20 mins. I won't say it's the best ramen in Boston but it's worth to try.

    (4)

  • Ioannis K.

    My first time and it was perfect. Food very tasty, service quick and people very polite!!!!

    (5)

  • Sarah F.

    We went on a Sunday to test out this new place in Harvard Square. The wait was about 1.5 hours even though it was almost 8PM, but it really wasn't that bad - they'll take your number down and text you when your table is ready. SERVICE - The waiters were obviously in a hurry since the restaurant was so busy. We had to flag them down to refill our tea. But service was quick (less than 10mn after we sat down) and very friendly. FOOD - I had the Tonkutsu Kara Miso ramen. The ramen base was out of this world; tasty, filling, and just the right level of spicy. Better in my opinion than Yume Wo Katare in Porter Square, and definitely much better than Sapporo Ramen in Central. Noodles and meat were also great, comparable to what I've had in Japan. PRICE - Some of the reviewers complain about the high price. It is a little steep for a ramen bar ($15), but pretty much in line with the other restaurants in Harvard Square. If you want cheaper noodle soup, head over to Le's for some pho. On the whole, I think this is a great addition to Harvard eateries and I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • S H.

    We had a great lunch here of Miso Ramen. The pork belly was delicious as was the broth. I particularly enjoyed the mushrooms (Woodear, I think) that were included in the dish. The atmosphere was friendly and efficient. The fold out purse/bag holder was a nice touch.

    (5)

  • Stella C.

    Dined here with friends. We had high expectation of this place but the ramen turned out just ok. The noodles are a bit hard. The service is good. But I would not come back for the ramen.

    (3)

  • Nicole L.

    This was the second time I've had ramen and it was good. I decided to go with a simpler dish this time. I like that there are different sizes. I don't like when I waste food because the serving size was too big. I like that they text you when your table is ready so you can wonder around. The only negative is that the waiter never refilled our water and we were really thirsty.

    (4)

  • Tuyet V.

    Meh. I don't think waiting an hour for ramen is ever worth it, but I thought I'd give this place a try. The service was pretty good. This place is moreso about getting people in and out. I think it's a bit pricey for ramen, and not as good as what I was hoping it to be. The broth was a bit salty and there's this weird after taste. I've had pretty authentic ramen, and never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a seat. So at least I can say I've tried this place.

    (3)

  • Liya M.

    Best Ramen ever! Even better than Ippudo, pork is super juicy and tasty, broth is perfect (we tried Shio and Miso), and noodles are chewy and just right. Next time will try the spicy option. Soft opening and limited menu for now, looking forward to full menu and pork buns. No wait when they first open, i.e. Sunday before 11:30am.

    (5)

  • Yow-Bang W.

    This is the first big chain Japanese restaurant serving REAL RAMEN around Boston. I just can't get why it's to so late for real ramen to get into Boston and how Bostonians have wasted their time and money on ramens that're not even close to random food stands in Japan.

    (5)

  • A S.

    Best ramen in boston. Top 5 ramen I've had in North America inclusive of various spots in California, Seattle, Vancouver, and New York. Basically as good as some of the top ramen places in Japan. Not surprising as this is an actual Japanese company.

    (5)

  • Roderick H.

    very tiny restaurant, always full of people. very good ramen, authentic; SUPER shoyu! omg that's one of the best shoyu I've ever had in my life. price is a little, just a little more expensive than many of the other similar ramen restaurants. service is good. though in peak time, the waitress still came checked with us 3 times asking about how everything was going. overall very good!

    (4)

  • Nicholas A.

    Ok... I wanted to love this, but: a) Their broth was not nearly as good as last year when they did a few "demo" days on Newbury St. b) For 6 hours after eating today, my stomach was not feeling so great. c) The price is a bit steep relative to relatively inexpensive ingredients, but that wouldn't matter at all if it was great. I will give it another try. Service was great. Looking forward to when they have a complete menu.

    (3)

  • Hank H.

    Had high expectation, but their ramen is mediocre at best. The price is reasonable and the service is good.

    (3)

  • Wendy L.

    I love ramen so when I know there's a new ramen place I was so eager to go try it. We went during lunchtime on a weekday so the wait was not long like 5-10 mins. They notify you through a text when your table is ready and a link to your position in line. It's a good system, very efficient and organized. Now to the ramen, we ordered 2 regular spicy and 1 large miso, if you're hungry order extra meat cause the large only gives extra noodles. Both the miso and spicy taste good but nothing extra special for the hype. I've tried the same taste at another ramen place in Boston but with a lower price so I don't think it's really worth it to eat here. The environment is not bad but kind of looks like a cafeteria with 2 big tables in the middle and small tables on the side. If you go alone then you're most likely to be put in the big table to other single parties. You can make new friends from that. I don't recommend to go for dinner or weekends cause the wait can get up to 1 hour.

    (3)

  • Ricky M.

    Santouka has so far been the best ramen restaurant. I ordered the classic shio ramen, which includes tender pork, vegetables, and more. All the ingredients of the shio ramen harmonized to make a decadent meal. Also, I ordered the aji-Tama for a side dish. This soft-boiled egg possessed a rich, flowing yolk, pairing well with the ramen. My waitress was attentive and patient, and didn't take any orders wrong. Although the wait was long, the food was worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Dandan Z.

    Just went there yesterday. Long wait for a bowl of ramen. It's kinda too salty for me but the pork is really good.

    (4)

  • Kswagg X.

    Wait was originally quoted at 45 mins, but it ended up being only 15. Broth was flavorful, the noodles have a nice texture and chew. Pork was tender. Service was excellent. Front of the House was great and their overall staff was friendly, attentive, and efficient. Will definitely return!

    (5)

  • Nicole C.

    From the hype of this restaurant, I had high expectations for its ramen. However, I was very disappointed. I ordered a Miso Ramen. The broth was extremely salty, the cha shu was all fat (only 5% meat), and worst yet, the ramen noodles were overcooked and mushy. I was hoping to find a great ramen place in Cambridge but this place was definitely not it.

    (1)

  • Kyle G.

    The best ramen I have ever had. Rich, complex flavor, not just chicken broth. Noodles were not all soggy and puffed up. A couple of nice fatty slices of pork, but the dish was not swimming with fat and salt like some places. Good cold-weather food.

    (4)

  • Tiffany H.

    I love Santouka, and I was happy to find out that the flavor at this location is consistent with what I am used to in California. The broth is flavorful and portion size is just right. I always order shio ramen and add an aji-tama. I'm pretty sure they bumped up the price b/c I could have sworn that I for $12 my order would have also included a a small rice bowl, but I'm willing to pay a premium for good ramen. There's really nothing better for cold winter days! (Still, I took off a star in protest. Just doesn't seem right for ramen to cost this much.)

    (4)

  • Pam S.

    It's quite authentic. However, having a meal like this really shoot my sodium level sky high. Everything is salty. I had the Chicken Karaage/ramen combo and Gyoza, the egg was done quite well. I had the noodle in regular size which is a decent portion. The chicken karaage came out very dark, i believe the oil they used for deep fried was not clean. It's okay to go there very once in a while. I think it's more for the tourist.

    (3)

  • Johnson D.

    Came here the other night with my girlfriend and I was quite surprised. We had to wait about 40 mins to be seated but I believe it was well worth it. The place was extremely crowded so I do suggest going earlier in the day if you want to try it. The ramen was pretty good, I suggest getting a large for just $1 more. First time having pork cheek and I was very satisfied but it was a little too salty. Now onto the service- it was amazing. Our server was Micheal and it was honestly one of the best services I've had in a while. He was having friendly conversations with my girlfriend and I and was keeping us very entertained. He also gave recommendations and made us feel like we were V.I.P. - loved it. Also, the rest of the staff is pretty attentive. I had 2 other waitresses refill my tea for me when it was only half way! Sweet!

    (4)

  • Liebling 3.

    My husband and I love this place. It is very clean. Waitstaff are very friendly. Ramen is good but it is limited food. We hope new menu is coming soon.

    (4)

  • Ramsay S.

    Knowing what good ramen is makes almost all the ramen that Boston has to offer seem sub-par. Fortunately, this was not the case here. The ramen was truly a delight, and I will definitely be returning. The price is expensive, but with such monopolizing command over the devastatingly unimpressive ramen market of Boston, what do you expect?

    (5)

  • J B.

    Fist time ive had real ramen, and it was amazing! You can ask for less salt if its too much, and everyone there is so nice and caring, why would it even matter if someone messed up, the food is so good, the people who work there care. I saw some complaints about this place and I have to say one thing, LIFE WAS MADE TO MAKE MISTAKES NOT TO FAKE PERFECTION, give the place a chance it just opened and they are doing such a good job, they don't need people going only 1 time/ have slight mess up with there meal and writing a bad review. These people have lives and want you to be happy with everything they got! There goal is to please you, so don't be quick to judge "oh I didn't get my ramen in time because "YO they just opened! GOD BLESS CAMBRIDGE

    (5)

  • Nhi N.

    Best ramen in Boston so far, and the closest to what you'd find in Japan. It's still not Ippudo, but it easily trumps other Boston ramen places for me. I never understand the hype of Pikaichi (broth is not flavorful enough) or Yume (broth is waaaaay too fatty even for ramen standard, and I prefer thin noodles - also for the record, thin noodle is what you'd find most of the time in Japan. I don't understand people who say they like ramen and then say thick noodles are better, because if you've had enough good ramen, you'll know that most if not all of them use thin noodles). This is to say Santouka has great thin noodles (would concede that it can stand to be a bit more chewy), GREAT broth that's just fatty enough (I had the shio and added a bit butter, but thought it'd been fine without the butter). The pork cheek was amazing, and the pork belly is better than most places here (Yume pork is comparable). We came on early Monday night and there was no wait at all. Will come back to try the other types of ramen!

    (5)

  • Vicky L.

    Rating for the hostess who did not input the right number of guests for our party. She put down 4 instead of 2 and we ended up waiting for an hour when it should have been 20 minutes. Many couples were seated before us. Food was great.

    (2)

  • Evan L B.

    This place tries to hard to fit in with ramen shops that offer different soups. The different broths are ok. The noodles are a grade above the best instant noodle. My soup was too hot for ramen, you can tell it started over cooking the noodles some more. The pork cheeks was the best part there. The other pork offered did not have any flavoring to it, basic pork. Only thing that will keep this business lasting may be the location in Harvard.

    (2)

  • R S.

    way too salty....I much prefer yume wo katare and sapporo ramen, in porter square. some people say yume wo katare is too salty, but I don't think the salt is nearly as overbearing as it was here the regular serving size is also too small, not that I wanted to eat more of it anyway

    (2)

  • Maria R.

    This place is always crowded, so service can get a bit hectic. The ramen noodle is good, but the broth is way too rich for me. If you have a sensitive stomach I would probably avoid it. Needless to say, there are no vegetarian options, and even if you order no meat on it, the broth itself is heavy and meat based, again pretty obvious since this place specializes in pork based ramen.

    (3)

  • Caroline S.

    Working out opening kinks but I had an outstanding and quick meal -- the toroniku is unbelievably good, and I've had the pork at Yume Wo Katare (which is also outstanding, but is far less tender and on the fattier side). Expensive but they give you a generous serving of pork, and I would come back any day.

    (5)

  • Ben K.

    The Kara miso was delicious but the service was quite poor. The servers gave our food to the wrong table and when we brought it to their attention we were told they would bring our food in 3-5 min but it took another 10. In the end it took over 30 minutes for us to get our food, and when we got it one of the dishes was the wrong flavor (regular miso instead of Kara which is spicy) and it was the wrong size. The food was quite good though so I hope they can step up their service.

    (2)

  • Sasha L.

    Best ramen I've had in Boston hands down. I spent last summer in SF and couldn't differentiate this ramen from ramen I've had there, and that's saying something. Not only was the food exceptional, but we had a pretty quick wait, our waiter was super nice and accommodating, and it was a great atmosphere. I'm definitely going back asap.

    (5)

  • Lee D.

    A very nice ramen place. Delicious and not too expensive.

    (4)

  • Tiffany H.

    Best ramen in town! Taste just amazing as their any other locations internationally, except the toroniko they have is better! My favorite is the spicy miso, according to the waitress is their employees favorite too!

    (5)

  • Ottavio S.

    Amazing ramen. So pumped to have this in Harvard Square. So far I've tried the miso and the spicy miso. Both were amazing. Definitely get them with the egg. I'll be back for sure!!

    (5)

  • Zhengyang Z.

    first few bites are good but after that I feel so salty and it makes you eat so tired, toping egg is fantastic water is good. and i recoomend noodle 4/5 soup base 1/5 (salty) service 3/5 water 5/5 overall 3/5 egg 5/5 bamboo 2/5 not the fresh bamboo and really salty!!!!!! 3 stars at most!

    (3)

  • Emily W.

    So sad. I have been beyond excited anticipating Santouka arriving in Boston! However, my $25 bowl of ramen didn't even come close to competing with other ramen in the city. I had the Tonkotsu toroniku ramen - karamiso, i.e. spicy miso tonkotsu broth with pork cheeks. I upgraded to to a lg for $1 d/t yelp reviews- I can EAT my ramen!- however, regular size would have been plenty. The broth was delicious. However, I've ordered spicy tonokotsu in the past at other places and it is much richer and you can really taste the pork that has been cooking for hrs. I added the soft boiled egg which was waaaaay over priced (cold, slightly over cooked, and not even marinated in miso or soy, which most other ramen places I've had were AND the egg was included in the price.) I also added the corn and butter. However, what knocked 2 stars off were the Noodles! YUCK. They were like the 50 cent kind in the grocery store! Not chewy, definitely not homemade. They were super thin-which is fine with me-but so blah (hard and never softened to chewy) and unenjoyable. It's a RAMEN place, the noodles should be delectable...I left half of mine in the bowl and just enjoyed the broth and meat/veggies. I did not find the broth overly salty as others have written (and I hate overly salty)- maybe they have heeded others' reviews.... The service was wonderful :)

    (3)

  • Grosian N.

    There are getting to be more and more ramen places in Boston...still not a comparison to NYC, but even with the amount of places available, most ramen shops are pretty plain and sub-par. Santouka though, is not one of those. I definitely recommend going. Their noodles are the skinnier type and their broth is pretty darn good. I don't think I've been this impressed since Yume Wo Katare opened.

    (4)

  • A R.

    Dined here for lunch yesterday with the Mr. and his cousins. We got there around 1pm on a Saturday and our wait was about 30 minutes. They text you when your table is ready, which is awesome because instead of waiting in a cramped entryway, we could walk around Harvard Square. We got the text and were seated pretty quickly. They brought over a free standing cloth basket thing to hold our coats and bags so they didn't have to hang on our chairs or be in our way. This was a really nice touch. They brought menus over quickly and asked if we had any questions. The menu is limited, which I actually don't mind as I tend to be indecisive. I chose the Shoyu Ramen with extra green onions, the Mr. got the Large Miso Ramen and the cousins got the Shoyo and Spicy each with an egg. All our ramen bowls had a fish cake, bamboo and deliciously tender pork. Mine also had seaweed and green onions. We all really enjoyed our ramen and felt the broth was extremely flavorful. I had a regular size and felt it was plenty filling for lunch. Our waitress was friendly and checked in on us. Service was speedy but we didn't feel rushed. This is the first ramen restaurant I've been to, as I usually get Pho. I will definitely come back!

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

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