This is a great spot for ramen but it can get expensive especially if you're like me and get distracted easily....you come for a bowl of deliciousness and you walk out with desserts, sushi, and a bunch of random things you didn't need from the supermarket next door! It took about 10 min of waiting in line before we were able to order. I got the salt broth with the sake ikura side dish. Delicious! The small size was perfect for me and I still had leftovers. And yes.... They do accept credit cards. Make sure you order drinks while you're at the counter- they do not give out free ice water. Don't expect a fancy restaurant.... This is a simple eatery in the food court of a supermarket. Don't let appearances fool you! She may be small, but she is she mighty!

Spicy miso : rich and hearty. spice is subtle and adds a nice little depth to the dish. noodles were fine. good bite. chasu and veggies nicely round things out. shoyu: light. good flavor. noodle and chasu were the same as above. what the real difference is that my not so little, little one prefers shoyu to miso and she totally devoured it. Service is fast and efficient. I was a little worried it would take a while to get our order and our food when I first saw the line but things more real quick. They seriously got it down to a science. I'm thinking the fact that it's located in a grocery store adds to the charm of the place. It's located next to a couple other eateries and it's a shared dining area (so it can get a little cramped), but the food is good. Simple as that.

One of my favorite place to get ramen in the Bay Area located in the Mitsuwa Marketplace. I've been coming here since college and every time I come, it's still so good. The line may look long but it moves quite fast so don't let that scared you away. Food: Delicious. My go to order is usually the small cha-siu shio ramen with extra nori. The broth is flavorful and warming while the noodle is prefectly cooked. I love dipping my seaweed in the soup so that it soaks up all the flavor. Spicy miso is also great if you want something with a little kick. Environment: Food court. Open seating. Seats are first come first serve. It can be challenging to find seats if you are coming with a big party on the weekend. Overall, I would recommend Santouka!

Santouka is one of those places that serves as your guilty pleasure- but then on your weekly grocery trip, you treat yourself every time :D I found myself going here in between classes at SJSU, and now working, I love coming here after a long work day to get a nice meal. There is something magical about their Spicy Miso Ramen. Every time I eat it, I get sparkles in my stomach and my mood is instantly lifted. I love the portion size- it's perfect for someone who always likes a sweet treat but also loves the warmth of a hearty rich meal. When you're sitting in the market food court, with all the yummy treats around with nice neighbors- the location for this spot is perfect to get down to business and enjoy a beautiful bowl of ramen. I'm salivating thinking about it..

For many years, I would say Santouka is one of the best ramen places in town. Nowadays, with many more choices in the area, they're no longer the best but I would still recommend them. Santouka is located in the Mitsuwa food court. You can't miss it, because there's almost always a line. I typically get one of the ramen combos, which comes with a chashu rice and egg on the side. I've seen prices go up over the years and they take cash only. After you order at the counter, they hand you a slip with a number and you seat yourself to wait. Sometimes it can take over 30 minutes until they call your number on the mic, so make yourself comfortable or walk around the market for a bit to pass time. I've tried the ramens (miso, shoyu, shio) and the broths are nice and thick. The chashu rice is probably one of my favorites: the diced pieces of meat are flavorful and the rice is a great addition to the small ramen portions. The hype never dies down at this place, but I still come occasionally for the ramen and nostalgia.

The miso ramen is good but I have tried other ramen they have and it is a hit or miss. Sometimes it is good and sometimes it is not. However, today the ramen is super delicious. It does taste like Japanese miso ramen. However, it is kind of expensive. $12 for a small miso ramen and a large is $15. It is okay for one or two people but for a family, it is a lot. The service is fine. They will get your food as soon as possible. But beware you need to grab a seat once you walk into the food court. The seating is a hit-or-miss. It is hard to find a seat. My advice is to find a seat and order.

Solid! Very oily and tasty-- perfect for a lunch or dinner indulgence, two medium shio bowls came out to be $36! The noodles are perfectly bouncy and chewy and paired perfectly with the plum which provides sour, scallion which provided crunchy texture and a slight spice, and bamboo which was salty, and the wood ear which was crunchy and chewy! If you want to try the Tonkatsu, go early! They sell out.