IPPUDO Berkeley

Food: OK, solid for US ramen. Nice to be able to get Hakata style. Broth was solid, presentation was lacking but not terrible. As lunch, this bowl of ramen did not leave me feeling disgusted at the amount of food and oil consumed, which I think is a failing in the world of ramen. It lacks the carefully put-together excess that should be present. Price: too high. Without adding the $4 egg, my $17 bowl of ramen was fairly simplistic and the portion size didn't feel like a serious indulgence the way ramen really should. I think this is one of the better options for ramen I've had in the bay, but as with most US ramen, the value is just not there and this value is worse than some other very solid I've had in the area. Atmosphere and Service: Nice, clean restaurant with attentive staff. The disposable chopsticks are cheap and do fray - not the end of the world. A few hand-trucks of ingredients came through the front at about 1pm - also not a big deal, but did have to interact with that on my way out. Overall very pleased with the atmosphere and service, no strong complains or issues. The Japanese menu wall art is a nice touch. Overall: For me personally, I probably won't come back, but if you're into the local ramen scene you'll probably enjoy this spot.

Ippudi's hakata ramen is the best I have found outside of Japan. Always consistently good and made with quality ingredients. Our table was not cleaned well and the condiments on the table looked old and the containers looked like they needed to be cleaned, hence the reason for my 3 and 4 stars on the service and the atmosphere.

We reserved a table for 7 a day before but when we got there in time, we still have to wait a whopping 20 minutes. On top of that, the portion size was not generous (little soup which is extremely salty because there was no liquid, basically no meat, and no toppings). I feel like I am basically spending 20 dollars for just a bunch of plain noodles. I would not recommend this place at all.

The food favor was bland, salty, and cold. The noodle was warm and all the sides were cold. There was no broth. The price does not match the quality of the food. First and last time at this place. For 4 people we spent $146.00 - 3 bowl of ramen, two sides, sushi (15 minutes wait), side of cucumber, 2 drinks. We ordered a side of broth and it was salty. So disappointed. 😔

SO good. I came here at least 30+ times over the past year and was never disappointed. The ramen is delicious, and they have great veg options as well. (daizu no chikara) miso is a must try, veg or not, really hits the spot. only downside is that it is $25+ everytime, so certainly a bit pricey but worth it imo. (all the pictures are from seperate visits LOL)