“ When ramen is crafted with this much thoughtfulness, it should be cherished. Nojo Ramen Tavern is a traditional Japanese Izakaya and Ramen Bar located on Franklin Street in the heart of San Francisco's Hayes Valley neighborhood mere blocks from San Francisco's Civic Center and the performing arts corridor which hosts everything from the symphony to the opera. Owned by a parent company who owns more than 200 ramen shops throughout Japan, you can't get more authentic than the noodles served in rich paitan broth being crafted by the team at Nojo Ramen Tavern. What sets Nojo Ramen Tavern apart from so many of their competitors is that their paitan broth base comes with soy sauce, which gives the normally thick, cloudy, rich soup, that's a major component of ramen, a darker color. What brought a group of three friends and I here on a recent weekend evening dinner was the fact that we were hungry for a satisfying dinner and we knew they would be fast service to get us in and out as we had a show to see at a nearby theatre. Nojo Ramen Tavern is a first come first serve style of business meaning that if you want a table your entire party must be present in order to be sat but you can be waitlisted for a table if you enter your name and party number on the Yelp tablet in front waiting area so you can wait patiently for your name to be called via text message. Luckily, even though I had yet to make it to the restaurant in time to be seated, they allowed the rest of our party to sit at a tall communal table and order without me until I was able to arrive. Fortunately, I was able to peruse the menu ahead of time and inform fellow diners what I wanted to order. The menu at Nojo Ramen Tavern is separated into categories including their Ramens, Appetizers, Bowls, Dons, and Plates. Of course, each one of us diners came for Ramen and I ordered the Tan-Tan Spicy Miso which had ramen noodles, spicy ground chicken, a soft boiled organic dashi egg, toasted sesame, cilantro, chopped green onions, and something called a spice bomb. Others ordered their Tomato Ramen which had ramen noodles, tomato, shredded chicken tenders, black garlic oil, cilantro, grana padano cheese, lemon and fried garlic; their Dry Spicy Ground Chicken Tossed Noodles which featured flat noodles topped with spicy ground chicken, an soft boiled organic dashi egg, nira chives, cilantro, red onion, shredded nori, bonito flakes and toasted sesame; and their signature Soy Sauce Ramen which features a slow braised whole chicken leg, an organic soft boiled dashi egg, nira chives, black garlic oil, red and green onion and fish powder. Since I ordered ahead, it wouldn't take too long for our food to be delivered to our table, and I was actually taken aback by the sheer size of their meals as they seemed huge at first glance. Thanks to the abundance of their signature paitan broth, I was in ramen noodle and soup heaven. This was one of the first instances where I enjoyed ramen noodles and the soup broth outshined everything else. The rich and flavorful tomato broth, which thankfully was topped with a lot of garlic bits, was the perfect menu item to warm up on a cold evening. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meal, as the one diner who normally loves spicy food, even found the Dry Spicy Ground Chicken Tossed Noodles even too hot for their taste buds! Our total bill was $92.37 before gratuity was added in, which could be considered on the pricier side, but is in line with what this local area has to offer in terms of dinner. A return visit to Nojo Ramen Tavern just so I could try their Tonkatsu Plate or their Una Don, as there is nothing more authentically Japanese cuisine than deep fried pork cutlet or marinated eel. At Nojo Ramen Tavern there is a little taste of Japan that resides in the Noe Valley neighborhood in San Francisco, and here's to hoping this is just the beginning for them here in the Bay Area. ”

“ Delicious Ramen spot in Hayes Valley. This Ramen spot is a bit more unique compared to the others because it only has chicken Ramen, which personally I don't mind since I love chicken. I ordered the tan tan spicy Ramen with ground chicken, it was so flavorful. I just wish they put a bit more chicken in it. We also got the shishito peppers, chicken wings and goyza. All the appetizers were so good. I particularly enjoyed the shishito peppers, they were super flavorful compared to any other ones that I've had. I would definitely come back here. Also, service was quick! ”

“ We got lucky with a quick seat here at Nojo, and it was at the bar where we saw the chefs do their thing in the kitchen. The open restaurant is a cool concept and always fun to see. The restaurant has a QR code that allows you to pay and take orders through their online app. It makes it convenient and helps with the flow of the restaurant. We ordered the popular items - Spicy Tan Tan, Soy Sauce Ramen and their half and half fries. Spicy Tan Tan had just enough kick to feel a burn but not enough to overpower. Very flavorful and rich. Highly recommend this dish. Soy Sauce Ramen felt lighter and had a more herbal taste which is great for those who want a lighter meal for the night. Half and Half fries are a must try. The truffle oil is incredible. Loved this restaurant. It felt very exciting being inside with it being so lively. ”

“ We decided to find something to eat before heading to the symphony nearby and found this place that we wanted to try out. We got seated pretty quickly, which was a great start to our dining experience. You can order online by scanning the QR code on the table or ask the waiter for a physical menu. Tan-Tan Spicy Miso Paitan: This dish was a highlight! The spicy ground chicken, toasted sesame, cilantro, green onion, organic dashi egg, and spice bomb created a rich and flavorful broth. Highly recommended! Fried Calamari: This side dish was decent. The fried calamari with mayonnaise and chili powder tasted alright, but the squid pieces were a bit small, more like end tail parts. Chicken Nanban Spicy Tartar: I would definitely recommend this dish! The Miyazaki-style chicken fritters dipped in soy vinaigrette and topped with house spicy tartar sauce were delicious. The chicken was tender and juicy, and the spicy tartar sauce added a great kick. Overall, a solid dining experience with some standout dishes. Would definitely come back! ”