Masa Ramen Bistro

Quick and easy place for ramen and curry. The waitress was nice and friendly with the kids. However, I do wish the place did not smell like cleaning products. It’s great that they are clean but it gross when all you smell is lemon cleaner when you’re eating. They have a lot of seating, great to accommodate groups.

This is basically right across the street from the Trader Joe’s on university. I admittedly don’t eat ramen often so I don’t have much to compare it to, so this is genuinely some of the best noodle-soup-dish I’ve ever head. The broth is rich but not heavy, the ramen noodles are thin and firm, and the toppings are also excellently seasoned. This also seems to be more fusion-based so there’s a lot of Hawaiian and some Korean options too. They have rice plates too. The portions are enormous. I always either take half of my dish home for the next day or walk out fighting for my life because of how full I am, which I can’t say for most Berkeley spots. I would say the prices are on par with Bay Area prices, but the portions are generous. The bowl is basically the size of your head, and the rice plates looks more like a party platter. Service was fast and the servers are friendly. I like the decor. Highly recommend this place!

It had been awhile since I’ve been, so thought we’d try it out. Unfortunately, it seems the quality of the food has changed. I order the loco moco. When it was first brought out, the bottom of the hamburger patties were burnt to a crisp. I don’t mind if they’re a little charred, but this was beyond edible. I think they thought it may pass since they put the burnt side down and smothered with the gravy. The second attempt was better. It came out pretty fast, which made me think they’re pre-cooked and reheated before serving. I probably should’ve ordered the gravy on the side. A bit salty and way too much. The fried gyoza was ok. Nothing stood out about it, good or bad. The katsu curry was also ok. Although, it was heavily breaded. Other guests at another table had ramen, which they seemed to enjoy. If I decide to ever go back, I’d probably get ramen instead of any of their rice plates. But with so many specialty ramen spots, not sure they would be my go-to if craving ramen.

Good selection of vegetarian, vegan, and standard ramen dishes. I enjoyed the Timmy Tan Tan ramen - a little bit of spice, fresh crisp from the greens, and nice depth in the broth! I usually only have half a bowl and save the rest for leftovers but I was still a bit hungry halfway through and ended up eating the entire thing. Service is very quick with orders and refills. Very relaxed, casual atmosphere good for catching up with friends. Unfortunately they are now very low/out of eggs due to the current egg stock issues. It does leave the ramen feeling a little naked.

This is a cool little hip restaurant on University Avenue. I originally thought it was Japanese, which it is, but it’s more like Hawaiian really. We had a few things. Edamame, Manini fries, Katsu chicken curry, Korean short ribs, and Loco moco. All orders came with either Mac salad or potato salad. The Manini fries were pretty awesome! Perfectly crispy nice with and a nice flavor. The loco Moko was definitely overcooked. Well done inside and nearly burnt on theedge. If not for that, it might’ve been pretty good. The chicken Katsu curry was decent. The best dish was the Korean short ribs however… It also costs $30, almost double of all the other dishes. if I were to go back, I think I would try the Ramen.

honestly the best ramen i’ve ever had. the broth has so much depth, it’s not too salty, we could drink it all. and the noodles weren’t the traditional yellow egg noodles but these are honestly better. you can taste the quality and we found out they’re handmade locally! very friendly service too. 11/10 recommend. update 6 months later: came back for the chicken katsu curry and we were so impressed. the first thing u notice is how dark in color the curry is. then the flavor is not too sweet and a little tangy. tangy enough that it makes u wanna eat more. SO good and full of depth. this was not your box curry flavor at all. u can tell its a homemade concoction and it was legit the best curry we’ve ever had. plus the chicken was beautifully flaky crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside. mac salad is nice and light. and it’s so cheap; we bought 4 entrees and spent as much as we would at a sushi restaurant for 2 people. and we STILL had leftovers. they play hawaiian music and it gives the place such a calm and sweet feel. love this place!! i’d still give it 11/10 highly recommend.

Nice little shop. Solid ramen. The 3 is actually pretty spicy, so just know they run on the spicy side. Katsu curry was solid too. Very crispy. Super fast service too! 1 individual bathroom.

Clean and cute! Oxtail ramen and the classic ramen with parmesan were awesome. Had low expectations on the fried chicken bits for the appetizers but they were so moist and I really enjoyed the taste. Great find. Left feeling filled but not heavy. This place needs more business!

Was in Berkeley looking for lunch and found Masa Ramen Bistro. Great selection of Ramen and plate lunch options at super reasonable prices! Just came back from BI, so getting the Kilauea ramen was very fitting. I got a level one spicy I had a great umami flavor with a great kick to it. The noodles in soft boiled egg were also cooked perfectly too. My sister got the diamond head Ramen and enjoyed her savory meal as well. I'll definitely have to come back to try the oxtail saimin since it's more difficult to find outside HI!

Berkeley is a great city to try new food and we found another ramen spot! This restaurant is located near the campus and parking was fairly easy to find after hours. When walking in, the dinner crowd was slowly trickling in. I found a spot closer to the entrance. They have the place a bit divided by two sides for more intimacy. The food is a mix of Hawaiian and Japanese. We both wanted to try the broke da mouth ramen as it was a customer favorite! I enjoyed my ramen and it was good to catch up and talk. The atmosphere was chill and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We ended up talking for hours about everything until I realized how late it was and the bowls were cleared. They were patient and didn't kick us out right away. Lol Ty Ty Very good ramen, good place to catch up and friendly staff. I'm still biased and have a few favorite ramen spots though

The Broke Da Mouth ramen was so delicious! I've never had ramen with parmesan cheese before and I was surprised at how the flavors came together. The meat was cut pretty thick but it was so flavorful and the spice level was just the right amount for me. I've never actually had mochiko chicken even after going to Hawaii multiple times, but their mochiko chicken was so good! Very crispy and went well with the cabbage. My bf and I wish we had more! Staff were friendly. Street parking available.

Cozy, clean, cute bistro. Tasty, flavorful eats disappointed that they didn't have more options. Value is ok. Service was quick and effort.

Amazing food but I was not fond of the tables and chairs. The chairs were metal and the tables were plastic? Very uncomfortable. The food is 10/10 though! Ordered the beef curry and their most popular ramen, broke the mouth. The beef curry was tender and super flavorful. The broke the mouth ramen was one of the best I've ever tried, except I had to take out most of the red oil. It was very oily but delicious . Will definitely be back for the food!

Came here with a party of six on a Sunday night and was surprised at how empty it was -- we were seated right away. To start, we ordered chicken karaage and takoyaki to share. The takoyaki was actually meant to be a substitution since one of our party members is lactose intolerant and couldn't eat part of her dish. The server asked if she wanted to swap it for something else, but instead of it being a true substitution, we were charged for it. That was a bit disappointing since it felt like they were accommodating, only to add an extra charge. For mains, my fiancé had the chicken curry katsu and I ordered Da Broke Da Mouth Ramen. Funny enough, he preferred his katsu while I preferred my ramen. The katsu was generous in portion but a little flat in flavor (I'm admittedly not a big curry fan, so take that with a grain of salt). The ramen, on the other hand, was deeply umami and very enjoyable. My only complaint was the cheese topping -- instead of melting smoothly into the broth, it clumped into a chewy glob. I think a lighter dusting of cheese would have worked better. Overall, though, the portions are generous and the value is solid. Definitely worth trying if you're in the area.

Food- the food was great but missing something and I can't put my finger on it but overall got me full and can say it's a good portion. The spicy was enough but could add more to a kick. Service- our waitress was amazing and helpful. Love how the staff here is friendly and also lgbtq welcoming. Felt like I found my place here. Parking is a little bit of a hassle since it's on a busy street so it goes quickly and you might have to circle the area to find a spot. There's lots of other small businesses near by and a good bakery right next door.

Service started off great--our server was friendly and attentive at first, but we had to keep asking for water refills throughout the meal, which was a bit frustrating. Portions here are definitely generous! I loved that the Chicken Curry Katsu came with multiple cuts of chicken--it was tasty and satisfying. However, the Da Broke Da Mouth Ramen was just okay to me; nothing really stood out. Someone in our group has a dairy allergy and requested her meal without any sides. The waiter kindly offered her tako as a substitute, which we thought was a nice gesture. Unfortunately, we were later charged for the tako, which felt a bit off since it was presented as part of the accommodation. Overall, good food with large portions, but some hiccups in service and billing made the experience mixed.

Great Japanese/Hawaiian spot right on University Ave. it's a busy street so find parking on the side streets. The place seems to accommodate to mostly students, but the food is excellent. Pricing is reasonable and that's always a plus. Only tried a couple things on my first time here. Had to try the oxtail ramen, which was very tasty. Chicken katsu was also good. Will come back and try other dishes!

So happy we decided to come here! We loved the atmosphere, very open, happy, and friendly. We had the diamond head ramen, broke da mouth, karaage chicken, and 808 chicken. First off the noodles were cooked so perfectly, thin and a perfect bite to them . All broths were not too thick, but rich with flavor. The broke da mouth ramen was so flavorful, rich, and spicy. We ordered the level 5 spice, and it's definitely got a kick to make you sweat but not inedible. I would say that some Buldak ramens are way more spicy. Definitely something that I could not eat myself continuously, but at the table my partner was can handle a good amt of heat and he thoroughly enjoyed it. The karaage chicken , da kine, was so crispy and light. The dipping sauces perfectly paired and I love to put only a little bit of lemon. Definitely a must!!! The 808 chicken was also cooked well, but I think because of the nature of it being caramelized it cannot be as juicy/light. I recommend the da kine chicken over the 808! Would love to come back to this place again!

Excellent food at a decent price. Good portion, rich smooth broth and chewy noodles. Kiluea had nice spice and diamond head was delicious. Pretty atmosphere, server was friendly and helpful. Definitely a place to favorite!

My friends and I were hungry so we decided to try this new ramen spot. Ambiance - casual. Reminded me of a pho spot actually with the plastic table and metal chairs. TVs were playing a video of some guy cutting up a big tuna fish. Food - hmm...I ordered Broke Da Mouth ramen with spice level 3 and it didn't hit the spot. I think the black garlic oil, garlic butter and Parmesan cheese overpowered the whole bowl. However in hindsight I should've known it was going to be oily with cheese, oil and butter -_-. I wanted to try their #1 ramen but left feeling like I should've ordered a regular tonkatsu ramen. The Parmesan cheese melted in a gloop towards the bottom and the whole bowl felt heavy. Noodles were cooked to perfection though so I'll give them that. Everyone else liked their order (friend got Chicken Katsu Curry - which was delicious! Huge portions too. My other friend ordered the Diamond Head, and lastly my friend ordered the Kilaeua - all shown in the picture) only complaints was that their egg yolk tasted a bit salty. I thought mine tasted fine. We also got the Da Kine chicken to try. It was good, one piece was just purely fat and cartilage though. Service - very attentive! Our server kept asking us for water refills and even gave us Hichews with our check. Even said she had more flavors if we didn't like the ones she gave us. Now would I come back...hmm..maybe for their curry. Parking is busy around here, so you're gonna have to park in the surrounding neighborhood. Good for students though who live around the area or can come here by bus.

(Strumming my ukulele) I wanna go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii / I wanna be with all the kanes and wahines that I knew long ago... Sometimes Jamie W and I get a hankering for some local grindz, brudda. But hey, it's not as if we're at a roadside luncheonette on Oahu's North Shore. We be on University Avenue close enough to the UC campus to have entered a true student hangout even though some of the menu items were on the pricy side for a struggling undergrad. Even though neither of us were feeling like ramen-heads that evening, I felt like splurging a bit and ordered the $29 Pulehu Beef Short Ribs. The dish consisted of a couple of 1/2-inch cut Kalbi ribs covered in a sweet BBQ sauce and laid on top of shredded cabbage with scoops of Fukikake rice and potato salad (Photo 10). It was good but... The portion was paltry for the price. Jamie had better luck with the $18 No Worry Chicken Curry where the chicken cutlet was pleasantly a big serving of breaded tonkatsu in a pool of slightly watery curry sauce. He got plain white rice, mac salad, and a pile of pickled radish (Photo 9). He definitely got the better deal, but truth be told, neither dish sent us through the pipeline. The best deal of the night was the $4.50 Spam/Egg Musubi, a shareable portion with shoyu-marinated Spam and a scrambled egg packed with Fukikake rice and wrapped in nori (Photo 7). This casual snack was honestly the most satisfying part of our meal. There are other dishes to consider the next time we get a longing for the islands because... (Picking up my ukulele) I wanna go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii / Where the humuhumunukunukuapua'a go swimmin' by... FOOD - 3 stars...decent but not really the grindz we was looking for AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...pretty spacious SERVICE - 3.5 stars...attentive enough TOTAL - 3 stars...do you know the words to "Sweet Leilani"? RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

From the outside, you'd have no clue what the restaurant would be like, but once the food starts coming you're in for a treat. This restaurant doesn't put the money in fancy surroundings or high quality seating. Instead it invests in good food and good service and really which would you prefer? FOOD: Although it's called a ramen bistro (and they do have very good ramen), I love that they also have some very fun and traditional Hawaiian food and Japanese food, too. Personally, I can't resist a good loco moco so that's what I had and it was delicious. Great tasting burger, nicely cooked egg, great rice, and the gravy was good. Not quite as flavorful as I like, but definitely tasty. The mochiko chicken was phenomenal and I would come back just for that! Tender and moist on the inside with wonderful flavor. There's more I want to try and that's always a good sign. SERVICE: Beyond excellent. Seriously great service. Nice and attentive enough with a genuine service orientation. Portions were great and everything was plated so well. COST: Very reasonable for what you get. About $20 per person and worth every penny!

Seems like the egg shortage may have hit this restaurant HARD because all of the aji tamago have been crossed out. They're still up there valuewise though! I ordered their special Broke Da Mouth ramen, which is their signature parmesan garlic ramen. It was interesting.. the Parmesan cheese did add a new depth to the flavor. The garlic bits were also a little crunchy (not sure if this was intentional). I'll give the dish a 4/5. The creaminess isn't my thing but I think it's definitely something to try at least once. Not food related but I apprecite how the staff was okay with a kid bringing in his bike to eat. They were also giving out free Meyer lemons as well. The low prices and kind attitude stuck out to me. I hope this restaurant thrives here in Berkeley.

Simple, budget friendly, but still very decent ramen! No idea where else you can find $14 tonkotsu ramen anymore these days, so this is probably great for students living around the area. Unfortunate that they crossed out the included egg; that really would've sweetened the deal. There's no option to add additional toppings either. I ordered the Diamond Head and my husband ordered Broke the Mouth. Diamond head was very plain, especially with no egg, but really fit all my basic needs if I'm just trying to have a simple lunch. The noodles were thin and firm, the way I like it. The tonkotsu broth was not as rich in flavor as I would've liked, but it wasn't exactly bland either. I sampled the Broke the Mouth broth and it definitely had a lot more flavor from the black garlic and spice, but I usually prefer ramen with a lot less going on.

Good selection of vegetarian, vegan, and standard ramen dishes. I enjoyed the Timmy Tan Tan ramen - a little bit of spice, fresh crisp from the greens, and nice depth in the broth! I usually only have half a bowl and save the rest for leftovers but I was still a bit hungry halfway through and ended up eating the entire thing. Service is very quick with orders and refills. Very relaxed, casual atmosphere good for catching up with friends. Unfortunately they are now very low/out of eggs due to the current egg stock issues. It does leave the ramen feeling a little naked.

Food was great I got chicken katsu with curry and Mac salad. Dinner of the best latest I've had very light and crispy not super greasy and the curry was also some of the best I've had and I've had quite a bit.

Ramen - 4.5 stars. Chicken Katsu - 0 stars. Undercooked. Disgusting. Thigh meat. Fatty. Mac salad - 3 stars. Bland. Too mayonnaisy. Ambience - A for effort but 1 star - ceiling was leaking water and cold air was blowing in and the place smelled like asbestos and was freezing. Also bike, ladder visible - lame. Also I don't want to watch cooking shows while I'm eating - why?? I gave them a 3 because it is a ramen place and they did a good job with authentic ramen. I'd get the ramen to go and skip the rest.

We love this ramen shop! It has an Aloha theme, which is very fun, and you can order tasty ramen or Hawaii favorites.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was a lot more authentic than I expected. The noodle was thin and very firm like the type you get in Japan. Broth is very flavorful and good ingredients

This is a cool little hip restaurant on University Avenue. I originally thought it was Japanese, which it is, but it's more like Hawaiian really. We had a few things. Edamame, Manini fries, Katsu chicken curry, Korean short ribs, and Loco moco. All orders came with either Mac salad or potato salad. The Manini fries were pretty awesome! Perfectly crispy nice with and a nice flavor. The loco Moko was definitely overcooked. Well done inside and nearly burnt on theedge. If not for that, it might've been pretty good. The chicken Katsu curry was decent. The best dish was the Korean short ribs however... It also costs $30, almost double of all the other dishes. If I were to go back, I think I would try the Ramen. And by the way, the service was pretty bad. It took a long time, we had to keep waving down the waitress, and she had a bad, grouchy attitude the whole time. She did do all the things she needed to serve our table mechanically speaking, but could improve the pleasantness.

===TL;DR=== - Diamond head ramen, spicy level 4 - Kuni ramen, spicy level 3 ===TMI=== Just when I thought Tsuruya made it to my top 5 ramen list recently, now Masa also made it (under Tsuruya tho hehe)! Laid back with a bit of an industrial interior vibe... almost like a touch of Hawaii feel. They had a great food selection for a one page menu but I'm here for the ramen! Really enjoyed my bowl of Kuni ramen, the black garlic oil alway just hugs you so well along with the hearty base of the tonkotsu broth. I'm content at a level 3 spiciness and level 4 was still manageable. Their pork belly char siu was cooked to perfection. Team thin ramen noodles all the wayyyyy. If I didn't remember wrong, the server said Kilauea was just the spicy version of the Diamond ramen FYI. So instead of ordering Diamond head and add a spiciness level, you can just order the Kilauea.

I tried the favorite or popular dish here, which had cheese on it. I was skeptical but decided to try it since it was popular. I definitely think ramen should not have cheese in it. Adn the flavors weren't very strong. It was okay ramen. The others that I went with got ramen without cheese, and the flavors weren't very strong there as well. The service of the place was good! Our waitress was very friendly and checked in regularly. This is located on the main street, so parking can be hard.

Visiting UC Berkeley for the weekend, we happened to find this place. It's a nice cozy little place that's an Asian/Hawaiian fusion. The staff were super nice, and inviting. We ordered the loco moco, which was really good, and the beef patties were very nicely seasoned. The gravy was delicious too. The apps we got were the 808 chicken, which is a must get, and the Bruddah Brussels sprouts. My wife got their signature dish the Broke the Mouth Ramen, which has cheese on top, and it was really good. If my son chooses to attend Berkeley, I'll visit here more often.

We came with a friend for dinner on a Friday evening since she was in the mood for Japanese/Hawaiian food. Located on University, parking was a little challenging and we found parking about a block and a half away. Though it has Ramen Bistro in its name, the menu has more of an emphasis on Hawaiian dishes than Japanese. The menu consisted of six ramen options (1 was sold out) and seven Hawaiina options (2 were sold out) and nine Pupus of Japanese and Hawaiian options. We decided to order several pupus and two entrees. Da Kine Chicken - 10 good-sized pieces of moist chicken thigh pieces. Served with a calamansi ponzu dipping sauce. Manini Fries with curry furikake - had a light curry flavor. Nothing special. Shrimp Pops - panko crusted shrimp patties on a stick served with a sweet Thai chili sauce. This was tasty Diamond Head Ramen - good pork broth with two slices of pork belly char siu. A good tasty satisfying bowl of ramen, but I've had better. Lolo Loco Moco with potato salad - ordered with over easy egg. It was a good loco moco with a tasty brown gravy. Service was friendly in a nice bright restaurant with tables and a bar counter in the middle and by the window. Good ramen and Hawaiian options for the area.

I ordered the Broke Da Mouth with 3/5 spicy. Very rich and flavorful broth! I'd say the 3/5 is perfect if you have a medium/high spice tolerance and want it to be spicy while not taking away from the dish. The pork was wonderfully tender and juicy. The Parmesan cheese was an interesting addition! It was awesome for flavor, however when it melts in the broth it forms into dense cheesy blobs. Service was great. They had only one employee managing the entire dining area tonight and she did a great job of helping us and about 10 other tables at once. I would love to come back and try one of their Hawaiian dishes.

first time here n loveeee the mini loco moco, the sauce was chefs kiss. the ramen noodles were super el dente, perfect texture along with the meat. server was really polite n soft spoken love the hawaiian ambiance feel. would def be coming back

Ramen is amazing, thinner noodles with a firmer bite to it. Broth is great and the spice level can go from 0 to level 5. Spicy level 1 adds a lot of flavor and is very manageable for almost anyone. Secret spicy level 6 is available but not to be taken lightly, a spicy connoisseur I ate with said it was one of the hottest things they ever ate. The server was fun to talk to, and very attentive. The building is straight to the point nothing super flashy about it, a few tables around the dining area and some TV's on the walls but who cares if the food is good, it's good. 10/10 will definitely be going back.

Bottom line: TRY THIS PLACE! My family and I were in the mood for some ramen, and this place seemed like it had great reviews on Yelp. I recently moved to the area and had an excellent ramen place in my last neighborhood, so my standards were high! Masa Ramen Bistro exceeded my expectations. The interior is extremely casual and comfortable. We ordered 2 "Broke Da Mouth" bowls and 2 Kuni bowls. Everything was great, but the Broke Da Mouth was insanely good. The menu said it was the most popular item on the menu, and it did not disappoint! The cheese was such a great touch, and the garlic butter really shone through. The Kuni is also a great option, if you're looking for something a little lighter than the Broke Da Mouth. I'm genuinely so happy to have found this place and expect that it will become a staple in my routine. There is street parking available, and it is close to the BART. You cannot miss this spot the next time you're in Berkeley!

I had the broke da mouth ramen and I give it a solid 8.5/10 it was super garlicky- which I LOVED and the broth was so flavorful- it was great as leftovers too! my friend had the beef curry which was a huge platter and she gave it to men 8/10! overall great vibes and great tasting food- def the best ramen spot in the area!

Stopped in just after opening time, so I was the first table. Very slow service for being the only customer. Ordered the vegan ramen with no noodles and added kikurage and corn. The dish was served quickly; however, it was not piping hot. Disappointed by that, but the broth is a lovely deep sesame flavor. Bold and hearty. I slurped it down in record speed. I would definitely order the vegan ramen again! I feel like the prices of the vegan ramen are slightly higher compared to other places.

The vegetarian miso ramen was okay. Our ramen took a while to come out and when it finally did it was not hot and had an underwhelming taste. The noodles were super undercooked and since the broth wasn't hot the noodles didn't cook further in the bowl. The tofu was also unexpectedly really cold in the middle. Overall, the flavor was just super lacking and was not a stand out dish. I also thought it was super strange that you had to pay extra for the spice level of the ramen. I've never seen that don't anywhere and I don't understand why an additional fee would be needed for a spice level.

If I could, I would give this place at 10. Good service good amazing portion yummy flavor. I got a second drink. It was so good. I can feel that it's really authentic Japanese just like it is in Hawaii where I am from. I love it over here I like that it's authentic Japanese potato salad Just the way I like it. The only hard part is parking but we made it through yummy yummy! Oishi!

I ordered the black garlic ramen and it was one of my favorite ramens that I've had in the Bay Area in a while. The ramen noodles were cooked perfectly and the broth was rich and flavorful. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm in the area!

Masa Ramen Bistro Stopped off at Masa Ramen Bistro for an early Saturday dinner. Street parking, but it wasn't an issue. Only a handful of people in the restaurant. These are the dishes we ordered in descending order of my preference. Diamond Head - this ramen bowl is legit. Soup is rich and creamy. Noodles have a good chew to them. The flavor is great and you get a nice whole soft boiled egg. Broke the Mouth - we ordered a 3 out of 5 which was spicy but not knock me over spicy. It was kind of interesting with a mountain of shredded parmesan in there. Despite it being tasty, I think my preference would be a straight black garlic version (Kuni). POG - pretty sweet and tropical Da Kine Chicken - the chicken was well fried and marinated. I don't think there was much seasoning on the breading though. Also thought the pairing with the ponzu sauce was a bit odd. Bruddah Brussels - these were brussel sprout halves, coated with panko and parmesan and fried. Hot and tender in the middle. Just wasn't working for our family and it largely went uneaten. Normally when we're getting fried brussel sprouts, they're crispy, greasy, well-seasoned, and gone faster than the Flash. All in all, I'm always ecstatic when I find a good bowl of ramen in the East Bay. They are just so few and far between. Definitely will come back for that and maybe try out some of the other appetizers.

Nothing hits like Masa Ramen on a cold day. I've gotten the same thing every time: the diamond head ramen. It's a creamy and rich broth. The egg is perfectly soft boiled every time. Noodles are chewy. Chashu is tender and soft. This is my go to ramen place in Berkeley. I have yet to try their other dishes, but my friend got the chicken katsu curry with potato salad. It looked bomb. The katsu wasn't too fried and the chicken was juicy. There was only one waiter and almost every table was filled. I'm not sure if this is a normal occasion but the service was still decently quick! He was efficient and still able to check up on our table a few times.

I stopped by Masa Ramen Bistro around 7:00 p.m. on a rainy Friday evening and the restaurant was pretty empty. Besides my party of four, there was only one other diner. Though Masa Ramen Bistro has ramen in their name, the reason my friends and I decided upon this place for dinner was because of their other offerings, specifically their loco moco. Masa Ramen has hands-down the best loco moco I've had in the Bay Area. The large hamburger patty has a wonderful crust around the outside that stands up well to the hearty gravy. The gravy itself is very well made and did not split as we ate our meal. Furthermore, it was not overly salty and had just the right consistency. The two sunny side up eggs were perfectly cooked as well. If you like your eggs prepared in a different style, you can certainly make this change when you place your order. The other dish I really enjoyed was the 808 chicken. Sometimes karaage chicken can end up being kind of dry, but this chicken was incredibly juicy and tender. I would definitely order this appetizer again. The kuni ramen my wife ordered was surprisingly light. The noodles were cooked a tad too much for my liking though. I think one to two minute less time on the stove would have been ideal for the ramen noodles. Also, the bowl of ramen is more on the simple side in terms of toppings. Not a bad thing necessarily, but something to keep in mind if you're expecting 10 different toppings in your bowl. I would definitely stop by again for the loco moco. If you're craving ramen, there are some other places I would recommend. Solid four stars.

Fun restaurant that is smack dab in the middle of Berkeley. The inside is island vibes, so it leans more on the Hawaiian theme than the traditional Japanese restaurant. We drove here from out of town, so we were really looking forward to Masa. We ordered the Masa special, and it had a lot going into it. The broth has black garlic oil, garlic butter and parmesan cheese. It all sounds great together, but when tasting it, it didn't hit the way I thought. I wish it had a stronger taste of the black garlic oil. The spiciness overpowered the flavor of it, so I didn't get a chance to taste the broth for what it is. I got the level 3, and it wasn't spicy, but it was distracting to what I could've tasted. The noodles, pork belly, and soft boil egg were incredible parts of the bowl. The soft boil egg was very flavorful; I would order an extra next time. The Musubi was great ! It is really dense, and they flavored the rice so each bite was packed. The waitress was very helpful and kind. She checked on us a lot, and I appreciate the attention the service we got. I would come back to Masa if I was in the area and craving ramen. I would order the Kuni next time !

I finally had the chance to try Masa Ramen Bistro after a friend of mine recommended it and wow! I ordered it togo but once i saw the food, i decided i couldn't wait and ate there. I ordered spam and egg musubi as an appetizer and it was so good! Perfect ratio of protein and rice. The sauce inside added a great flavor to the dish as well! I ordered the No Worry Chicken Curry with mac salad as my entree and the crispiness the katsu had was perfect! The katsu sauce had great flavor and they added just the right amount of it so my katsu maintained the perfect crispiness the whole time. The mac salad was also really good. I can't wait to come back to try their ramen and other dishes! P.s. The ambience was very welcoming and the server was very nice and patient with me!

I was looking for a good ramen place in the area and came about this place. I came here with 2 friends and was seated immediately. Parking is a bit hard in this area your best bet is to come early, park further, or try the Berkeley extension lot around the corner. Service was good and quick they greeted us immediately. I tried their spicy ramen and it was okay. Portions are large so it's definitely feeling but the texture of the noodles could have been better (personal preference and thought). The ramen seemed pretty oily to me which felt a little too much after finishing the whole thing. They also offer some Hawaiian/fusion items like Loco Moco. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who really wanted some delicious ramen (I'd say San Mateo haha). But if you just want some regular ramen and was in the area- go for it!

I've had Masa Ramen on my bookmarks for a while. Hawaiian and Japanese at one restaurant-- name a better combo! Happy to say I enjoyed my experience here. Came with the family on a Friday evening and was seated right away. The ambiance is very casual but comfortable. They have a good blend of Hawaiian and Hawaiian-Japanese food, from ramen to plate lunches. OUR ORDER: * Lilikoi iced tea: great drink for iced tea lovers, not sweet at all * Yuzu Drink: very tart, wouldn't recommend * Karaage: great fry and very tender * Spam musubi: was very unique. I loved the riced + Furikake blend * Diamond Head Ramen: very simple and tasty. The portion doesn't look like much in the bowl but it's very filling. Enjoyed the broth, the noodles are thin, and the chasu was well cooked I did try a little bit of my family member's loco moco (which is a personal fav) but didn't think it was outstanding. I felt the gravy was missing something. The Mac salad that came with the plate is definitely unique. I also tried the Kilauea ramen broth which was good but a lot more rich and aromatic than the Diamond Head Ramen broth. Overall, I'm was really pleased with what I ordered. I would definitely come back when I want to mix up the vibe.

*disclaimer: my brother is vegetarian and I'm vegan so this review is for the meat-free items on the menu It was awesome to see more than one meat-free option on the menu so that was great! It was NOT cool that this place charges extra to add spiciness. While we have both had more decadent ramen from other places, this place was decent for veg. I'm honestly just excited there was greater than 1 veg option available. The decor and service were great. Our server was super friendly and answered any questions we had. Our visit to Masa was a nice one, but this wouldn't be a veggie person's first pick everyone in the party didn't eat meat BUT this is a great option for a mixed group.

I came to Masa on a Wednesday night to catch up with friends and there was no wait. Masa is located down University ave next to a dessert shop. School was also out for UC Berkeley so there was less of a crowd. The food was pretty good overall, but the soup base could have definitely been more flavorful for all the ramens that we got. For a tonkotsu ramen or a pork based broth, I normally like the soup to be thicker with more collagen and salt. However it was not bad at all - if you like your soup bases more clear or light then these ramens will be up your alley. The noodles were nice and chewy though, and cooked perfectly. The meat was delicious. The egg that came with the ramen was also cooked perfectly. Overall pretty solid ramen if you want something nearby.

Probably the best ramen in the bay. The service is great! Top notch across the board. Ambiance here is chill. It's near the university campus so it can get busy with all the young college boppers. Tako is also great. The bruddah Brussels are good too. We have not tried the curry but see that it is very popular here. I always get the Diamond Head. Broth is nice and creamy full of flavor.

Masa is THE GO TO ramen spot. I probably eat there about once, maybe even twice a month - it's that good. I always get the same thing - 808 chicken and Broke Da Mouth Ramen. The 808 chicken is succulent and sweet and a perfect appetizer. And moment of silence for the Broke Da Mouth Ramen.... Yall it has cheese in it which really threw me off the first time I was ordering it, but it's SO GOOD! The noodles are always on point. The black garlic broth is rich and flavorful with a perfect amount of spice that you can adjust. Personally, I prefer mine a little spicier than level 2, but level 3 is almost too much. So the kitchen kindly makes mine a 2 1/2 whenever I order :) I'm pretty surprised to see reviews about the service being slow and rude. The staff are always super friendly and attentive when I've gone, and even the takeout is consistent and dependable! Masa is definitely in my top 3 ramen spots and I highly recommend giving them a try. If I had to say one negative thing about Masa, it's that they're closed on Mondays lol

This ramen place is like a twist of hawaiian and ramen, which is what intrigued us. Parking here can be difficult since it is located in downtown Berkeley. The service here was pretty good and we were seated pretty fast on a weekend. We ended up getting the loco moco, the braddah brussel sprouts, spam musubi, and the no worry chicken curry. The spam musubi unfortunately didn't wow us and it was falling apart when we kept trying to pick it up. I would say that brussel sprouts were decent, but I wouldn't get it again. My chicken curry was okay, though the gravy was a bit too heavy for me. Overall, the food was decent for us.

Great options on the menu so it was easy to pick an item. I got the Diamond Head ramen which was very yummy and not spicy, but it was disappointing to only get 2 thin slices of meat. There was only one other group in the restaurant at the time, so service was excellent and attentive. The overall ambiance of the place is interesting. It is a mix of Japanese-type television playing on the TV, Disney/holiday music playing over the speakers, and Hawaiian decorations on the walls. I think a better unity between all of those elements would've made the overall dining experience more enjoyable.

We got there at 11:30 on the weekend and the lights were still off. I guess it's paid parking all along the street and there is no private lot. We waited 10-15 minutes and saw other patrons open the door and go inside. They finally turned in the lights so we went in. We were seated along the left wall. The kids enjoyed watching the k drama that was playing on the tv. We ordered: Chicken katsu: kids enjoyed this, I thought it was crispy but flavor was ok Broke da mouth: 4/5 lots of flavor, loved the parm, good portion, noodles were a little on the thin side. Spam musubi: kids didn't like the sesame in the rice but they ate everything else. Loco moco, Kilauea and Diamond head: I didn't taste these, no one complained about them, looked decent. Oxtail soup: 4/5 just like the soup my fil makes Fries: good Bottom line: solid ramen, good service.