Ramen Hajime

apparently this is one of the best ramen places in california, so i had to see what’s up. karaage, fresh and crispy and juicy, & good with or without the sauce. kiwami spicy miso, with thick noodles, generous toppings, & a rich flavorful broth that exemplifies a good bowl of miso ramen. the chashu is much thinner than what i’m used to but still tasty. the egg was cooked perfectly with the yolk still runny. the menu says the kiwami ramen is *very spicy* but it wasn’t too bad for a spice lover. they have lots of special limited menu items on their wall and i’d love to come back to try one. the waitlist can be very long so come as early as possible- i arrived before opening time & there were already several groups in front of me.

There is a waitlist system to be seated, you enter the building and use a tablet at the front to add yourself to the list. You can then access a website which shows your status in line, and you will get a text when you are close to the front. Then a staffer will call your name to seat you. I arrived as a solo diner shortly after 5 PM on a Wednesday, and there were 8 people ahead of me. Most of these people were also parties of one, so the line moved fast. It only took about 10 minutes. I would recommend checking the menu online while you wait. The ramen is good, as expected. I got the Kiwami Tonkotsu, and was able to request it without an egg. The broth has good flavor and the noodles have good texture, but the standout was the pork belly topping, which pairs unexpectedly well with the pr

For someone who has a lot of food allergies eating out is an adventure and sometimes hazardous. I love this ramen restaurant. The menu was very clear of the ingredients the restaurant uses. Ordering was so easy; server went to the kitchen to check with the chef if what I wanted to order had sesame. They will accommodate. I was able to enjoyed a basic shoyu ramen with a couple of add ons. Prices are very reasonable. Service, I would give more than five stars!!!

I arrived at 11:05 and waited for about 15 minutes. The waitress was polite and spoke softly. My ramen was prepared in approximately 10 minutes and was cooked to perfection. The restaurant has a simple interior, but the atmosphere is enjoyable. The ramen is authentic and delicious.

High quality ramen, great variety, and super friendly staff, but still surprisingly affordable. The broth is rich, noodles are perfect, and the chashu is legit tender. One of the best value ramen spots in the South Bay.