Ramenwell — Restaurant in San Francisco

This review is based on the visit in June, 2021.

Summary: Attentive service, decent ramen, and some disappointing appetizers.

The signature ramen is exactly as advertised. It is a thick and flavorful tonkotsu based broth. I ordered at the recommend level 4 spice level, while my companion ordered the super spicy version. The two looked similar visually, but the heat is real in the super spicy version. The toppings are relatively standard, and the chashu is tender with a crispy edge. The kalua pork is a nice touch. Nothing really to complaint about. It is a solid ramen.

We ordered the dumpling, spam musubi, and chicken katsu for appetizers. All of the dishes were visually great, but I seemed to have a bone to pick for all of them. The nori for the spam musubi was a little soft and the sauce was a little too sweet for my taste. It is sweeter than what you can get from those Hawaiian BBQ chains. The chicken katsu itself was done really really well with nice crispy coating that stayed crispy throughout the meal. Interestingly, the cabbage underneath was blanched, instead of the standard raw cabbage. The dumplings were the most disappointing one. I really wanted to give them the benefit of doubt. It was pretty. Yes. But it really tasted like a particular frozen brand of dumplings you can get from Asian supermarket. I can probably point out the exact one for you. FYI. The dumplings were not pan fried, which I am okay with.

The service was great. The staff was nice and attentive. They were not hovering over us, and were there when we needed them.

Overall, it was a ok experience. We probably won't visit them again until they have a menu refresh. I am willing to give them a...

Ramenwell in San Francisco's Mission district offers a convenient option for a ramen fix, but be aware of a few things before you go.

First, online reservations come with a $5 charge per person. This charge gets applied to your final bill, so double-check it to avoid paying extra. They also have a strict policy of not seating incomplete parties, so make sure your whole group arrives before you get hangry. The good news is that you can chill at their bar with a drink while you wait (given that they have the bar seating available)

The service itself is fast, and our server was friendly and helpful. However, the appetizers were a bit of a letdown. Both the chicken katsu and the takoyaki were lukewarm, which definitely affected the enjoyment factor. The katsu itself was decent, with one good sauce and one overly sour one. The takoyaki, on the other hand, were a bit too doughy for our liking.

Their signature pork ramen was a bit on the pricey side, and overall, it was just okay. The noodles were firm and flavorful, but customization seems limited. If you prefer softer noodles, you might be disappointed. The pork slices were thicker than the usual chashu cuts and a bit dry on the edges. The normal spice level was barely there, so spice lovers should definitely go for level 5 or higher. The broth was quite flavorful for what it's worth.

The constant flow of customers coming in and out created a busy atmosphere, but it wasn't overly loud or chaotic.

Ramenwell offers a decent ramen experience with friendly service and a convenient location. However, the lukewarm appetizers, limited customization options, and slightly higher price point prevent it from...

Ambiance: We sat outside and received service right away. Service was friendly, inside also looked pretty nice.

Ramen: We tried the Mushroom Lover ramen - which is a shoyu soup base with a bunch of different mushroom toppings and a mushroom broth, and the signature Tonkotsu.

Noodles: They used a thicker chewy noodle for both of the ramen bowls we had. This kind of noodle is pretty commonly used at a lot of ramen places. It was generally alright, but mine was a little bit undercooked, making it a bit too chewy.

Broth: The mushroom lover broth was on the lighter side. It definitely had a lot of shoyu flavor, but I didn't get a ton of the mushroom flavor from it. The Tonkotsu broth was on the lighter side, but it was a bit overpowered by a large amount of white pepper. We both got the level 4 spiciness, which we didn't really find to be spicy.

Toppings: The mushroom broth had 4-5 different varieties of mushrooms, pickled bamboo shoots, and a poached egg. The variety of type and texture of the mushrooms was really enjoyable. The tonkotsu had the standard pickled bamboo, nori, seasoned egg, and chashu. The seasoned egg was slightly overcooked, but generally good. The chasu was super thick and marinated in a nice smokey sauce. They also add a bit of kinda BBQ style pulled pork (might be a bit of Hawaiian flavor). Overall, the toppings were probably the star of both ramens.

Verdict: As far as ramen places that are open for lunch in the mission, I would come here again. For dinner, I would likely pick another one of the options nearby (for the price). Generally, I...