Mensho Tokyo SF

"Eating ramen at Mensho Tokyo is back to standing in a long line, or hoping to get a reservation, as the famous Japanese restaurant is once again offering indoor dining. This is the first U.S. outpost from ramen obsessive Tomoharu Shono, which specializes in tori paitan, a rich, creamy, chicken-based broth. Expect pliant, springy noodles and rotating specials." - Paolo Bicchieri

"This ramen spot comes directly to San Francisco from Japan and specializes in creamy, chicken-y tori paitan ramen. In true Japanese fashion, this is a get-in-get-out type of ramen shop with communal seating and limited options. The ramen selections are all good, but if you’re in the mood for something rich and hearty, go for the spicy lamb miso ramen, which comes filled with ground lamb and garnished with chile oil." - Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri

"Ever heard of Mensho? Of course you have. The Tokyo-based spot in the Tenderloin is practically synonymous with “best ramen in SF.” While it’s been noodle royalty since 2016, when they opened, they continue to draw a perpetual line. And the line is completely justified. The creamy broth and housemade noodles are nothing short of phenomenal. photo credit: Brit Finnegan Once you make it to the front, past the Mensho-branded noren, and step into the casual space, it’s time to go to town on the bowls this place is known for. The chicken-based broth alone will single-handedly make you black out the memory of those 45 minutes you spent standing outside—it’s intensely creamy (the consistency of gravy), and just as velvety rich. In every one of the 12-ish bowls on the menu, wheat noodles are springy and boiled until impeccably chewy. Soup clings to each strand like an overbearing ex, minus the text bricks. Get anything with their slow-cooked pork chashu, which basically falls apart if you poke it with a chopstick. Or go for the GKO (Garlic Knock Out) with five types of garlic and curls of crispy fried carrots. photo credit: Brit Finnegan photo credit: Brit Finnegan This ramen demands your full attention. You’ll be laser-focused on crafting perfect bites from your bowl of ramen and barely look up during a meal. That’s fine—there’s not much to see inside anyway, save for a TV playing chashu-making videos and walls full of ramen facts. It’s all the more reason to wait, have your life changed by a single bowl, and leave. And hop back in line next week. Food Rundown photo credit: Brit Finnegan Toripaitan Ramen A high-bar-setting bowl of noodles. The thin slices of pork chashu are so soft—you can barely pick up a piece without them falling apart. GKO If you’re someone who uses an entire head of garlic to cook single-serving portions, you’ll love this. It involves four types of garlic, fried, and is topped with a breath-ruining drizzle of black garlic oil. photo credit: Brit Finnegan Spicy Lamb Miso Ramen This is an umami-loaded situation. The orange-tinted broth packs just the right amount of heat, and ground lamb mingles with chili oil and diced red onion." - Julia Chen

"Ramen from Mensho Tokyo is the ultimate reward for braving the line for returns at Zara. And while there will also be a wait at this tiny Japanese spot, at least phenomenal noodle soup awaits at the end. You’ll want to vacuum suck up the creamy chicken-based broth in one big slurp. The spicy lamb miso is always a must-order, but you can’t go wrong with the tori paitan with chashu slices and fried burdock root on top. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

"San Francisco’s top spot for rich, creamy tori paitan style ramen recently launched a takeout menu. No need to worry about your noodles getting soggy: The restaurant is only selling its brothless mazesoba ramen. Takeout customers can also purchase chashu (roast pork belly) by the pound. Call in or order delivery via Uber Eats, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. every day except Mondays." - Luke Tsai