Torraku Ramen - Lombard — Restaurant in San Francisco

First I just have to clarify that when I rate an eating establishment, I am comparing it to similar restaurants, not every restaurant ever. So when I walk into a small mom-n-pop type place like this one, I don't expect fabric napkins or a 18% minimum tip requirement for groups over 6 like I would at a fancier place. Come to Torraku Ramen for the food, the chill atmosphere, and the ease of ordering from your phone if you're with a big group and y'all aint trynna split the bill at the end of the meal.

Came here with my son and his besties for his 20th birthday. We had the best time. They put two tables together to fit us all and asked if we wanted to order together or separately. My days of sponsoring dinner for a gaggle of youngsters are past, so I went ahead and scanned the menu QR code with everyone else.

A note on QR code menu and ordering -- the platform they're on made it super easy. There's a service charge included, but it's not enough to truly cover a tip IMHO (I'm one of these weird folks who tip generously).

The wait staff was so nice, attentive but not at all imposing. For example they refilled our water jugs without having to be asked. And the food? Well a hardcore ramen fan like my boy knows a great broth when he tastes it. I gave up pork so I went with the vegan broth but it was easy to add chicken for more protein. And he liked that one too. I'll definitely be back to try the yakisoba! Everyone raved about the food. Lots of small plates were ordered ahead of the entrees; I lost track. But the chicken karage nuggets were oh, so good.

Since another reviewer was pretty hard on Torraku Ramen in part because they found the bathroom to be lacking, I do have to say, it is perfectly fine. Was your bowl of handmade ramen $28? No? Then don't expect roses and vanity lights in the...

So glad we came!!! My husband and I were visiting in town. After looking at the reviews and good looking pictures of Torraku Ramen, we decided to try it.

We felt welcome at the door and comfortable in the dining area. The server was friendly and attentive. Ordering was especially easy and efficient with the QR code - smart!

We got Chicken Karaage and Tonkotsu Super Paitan Ramen with Chasu + melon Japanese soda.

First of all, the portion was generous! (When talking to the manager, he said the reason they keep it that way is because they get a lot of people walking by and they want the people in this central bay area to get the carbs they need!) How thoughtful! Second, the ramen and chasu flavor was just right. In my opinion, the Tonkotsu broth is especially hard to make the milky flavor just right that it's not too bland or salty. Their broth has the right pork flavor to it. You may also add garlic topping to your bowl if you like garlic. Third, the broth blended into the noodles ell. A lot of times, we get ramen with the noodles without the flavor to it and separated from the broth but it's not the case here.

Additional feedback: The chicken karaage could go with a different sauce than Japanese mayo if possible to add extra flavor (or add the option for...

This ramen shop is lowkey hard to find - it’s like tucked in where it’s at 😂. Anyway, we both tried their Tonkotsu Super Paitan Ramen. We both agreed that the noodles were too soft. The ramen should be cooked al dente then be allowed to cook while in the broth. The noodles were really soft and you don’t get the same chewy consistency expected from ramen noodles. The broth; however, was fine. It was a consistent flavor. The kakuni was more flavorful than chashu but expected when you factor in the preparation methods. The eggs was also fine.. definitely flavorful.. just a teeny bit over cooked for us since we like it a little runny. The bamboo shoots were a little disappointing though. They ended up being a little tough to chew. The saving grace of all this are the portion size and overall flavors.

On a side note, the online payment system is convenient. The ordering system should allow for removal of certain ingredients but I did see something at the very end before payment. There was no adjustment to tips either. It defaulted 15%. We didn’t get any bad service or anything but it’s more so locking people in to default tip when the actual quality of service is...