Ushi Taro Ramen SOMA — Restaurant in San Francisco

Ushitaro, a new ramen spot conveniently located near the Bart in San Francisco, is a delightful addition to the city's culinary scene. Despite its small menu, Ushitaro embraces authenticity, mirroring the traditional ramen shops in Japan that focus on perfecting their specialties.

During my visit, I started with two appetizers: crispy mushrooms and beef nuggets (karaage). Both exceeded my expectations. The crispy mushrooms were seasoned to perfection, offering a delightful crunch. The beef nuggets were incredibly tender and juicy, which surprised me.

For the noodle, I opted for two of their four ramen offerings: the traditional white beef broth and the clear beef broth. The noodles were cooked just right - firm and chewy, which I personally prefer. The beef broth was rich and flavorful; the clear beef broth had a pronounced beef taste, while the traditional white beef broth reminded me of a classic pork broth, but without the pork flavor, which I find appealing. For those seeking a bit more kick, there are soy sauce and spicy broth options as well. They have very different toppings than other ramen restaurants but I love the truffle flavor and generous toppings which complement the noodles. highly highly recommended!!!

They also boasts a small but nice selection of Japanese liquor. I tried both the white and dark beers, as well as the yuzu sake. The white beer had more floral notes, while the dark beer was a bit more bitter, but I enjoyed both. The yuzu sake was on the tart side, which I liked a lot, as it wasn't too sweet and added a refreshing citrus note to the meal.

The service at Ushitaro is commendable, with only one server handling the entire restaurant. Despite the challenges, she provided attentive and friendly service, contributing to a pleasant dining experience.

The environment is cozy and inviting, really clean with a minimalist design that highlights the focus on the food. The decor features warm wooden elements and simple, clean lines, creating an atmosphere that is both modern and comfortable. The setting makes it perfect for a casual meal with friends or family, as well as a quick lunch by yourself.

Overall, Ushitaro is a must-visit for ramen enthusiasts and anyone looking to experience authentic Japanese flavors. The quality of the food make it a standout choice in...

Likely one of the best bowls of Ramen that I've had stateside.

This was one of the first restaurants that I saw near my new spot in SOMA and I had to try it as a destination on my journey to find a great bowl of ramen in SF.

Beef ramen is something that I was not very familiar with, but seeing the photos of the ramen with the big bone marrow in it piqued my interest immediately.

When you walk in, it's a very small restaurant, the capacity is maybe 30 people with the 10 bar seats, and 4 tables. It's intimate, but not claustrophobic. The decorations are fantastic and gives a bit of that Japanese small ramen shop feel. One or two chefs, and a very friendly waiter.

We started with the Crispy Mushroom and Beef Karage for the appetizer. The Crispy Mushroom is amazing, light and crispy slightly salty batter around a tender and moist shimeji mushrooms; this might be one of the best appetizers I've had anywhere. The Beef Karage was also delicious, but I felt myself craving more of the mushroom, which I have gotten every time I've returned here to eat and will continue doing so.

For my ramen, I ordered the Traditional Paitan Ramen with black garlic oil on top per the waiter's recommendation. The bowl came quickly in under 10 minutes and was immediately appetizing. The bowl was elegantly stacked with ingredients and the broth looked rich and appetizing. Upon first taste, I knew it was a quality and perfectly balanced broth. Rich but not too heavy as some bowls I've had in the past from other ramen spots. The noodles were perfectly cooked and the other toppings were simply excellent and paired well.

I happily slurped up the noodles and drank every last drop of the soup and left completely satisfied and excited to return. This place...

My husband found this place because we were nearby. He read good reviews so we decided to try eating there. The place was full of visitors, so we needed to wait a bit. The waitress was serious, but maybe because she was busy. Anyway, we appreciate when people smile, that gives us a feeling of welcoming. She was attentive, don’t get me wrong, but just serious. The food we ordered was great, I really liked their gyoza with salty soy sauce. Ramens were delicious, and keep it in mind that Traditional and spicy one gave the same broth, just spicy has spice. And yea, the bone barrow was salty and tasty too. The portions were huge. I think it’s possible to share between 2 people, especially if you don’t eat much. But if you are a big eater you will love this portion. The atmosphere was friendly, young people, couples, friends, and us as a family. The music wasn’t so loud, thank God. I don’t like places with loud music that you can’t even hear each other. So that was a big + for me. It was warm inside, and cosy. So I would defiantly recommend visiting this place and have your own experience in there!...