IPPUDO SAN FRANCISCO

"When you get out of work too late to go to the grocery store, Ippudo is a solid option for a not too expensive dinner. All of the ramen is around $15 and is more than enough to fill you up, but if you’re still hungry, you can get a chicken bun or two to round everything out. And if you need to take the edge off from work, they have a good list of Japanese beers, too." - will kamensky

"It’s not that much of a surprise that your friend is running late to meet you to go shopping in Union Square. What is a surprise is how much they’re pushing the boundary on their lateness. Doesn’t matter though, you can walk over to Ippudo and get some ramen while you wait. Showing up alone pretty much guarantees that you’ll be seated faster at the communal table, so at least you can wait it out with some food. We like the Akamaru Modern with thin noodles and pork belly. It’s enough to fill anyone up during lunch, but if you still want something else, go for the chicken buns." - will kamensky

"Ippudo, a respected Japanese chain, has landed in the Bay Area with locations in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Cupertino. The menu spans a few different styles, both “modern” and “classic,” but the shop is probably still best known for its 18-hour “Shiromaru Classic” tonkotsu." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

"Like Marufuku in Japantown, Ippudo is a ramen chain worthy of your time. You customize noodle firmness, on a scale ranging from yawa (soft) to bari kata (firm), which is what sets this SoMa spot apart. The route you take is all about personal preference, but always go firm, since the noodles will cook a bit more in the soup. Tonkotsu broth is their specialty—the Karaka, a spicier version of the creamy original, is a foolproof order. And if you’re someone who gets hot and bothered at the sound of slow-simmered pork belly chashu, they put it on everything here." - Julia Chen

"Ultra popular ramen chain Ippudo finally opened a San Francisco location in Spring 2018, and whether or not the lines it generates are worth the typical wait provides a central, post-dinner topic of conversation. Many agree the 18-hour tonkotsu is worth it, and it’s definitely the best ramen bet in the area." - Caleb Pershan