The Ramen is simply great. Tonktsu Broth is to knotch. So was the Vegetarian Broth. The service is quick. But the space is extremely small. There's only two 6 person tables and a bar area. So you're gonna be waiting for a long time. We had a 45 minute for a party of 4 on Sunday evening at 5 pm.

I loved this place. Felt so authentic. The smell, tiny and cozy space, staff speaking in Japanese. I ordered small spicy miso and it was perfect spiciness. Charshu just melted in my mouth. I wish I studied the menu a bit before, because this is definitely a place you order, eat and get out. Definitely coming back soon to try different ramen!

Awesome ramen place with flavorful broth and noodles. I would certainly get the Medium size if you're looking for a more filling meal, the Small wouldn't be super filling. I got their Tonkotsu Ramen I believe. If you come, you should definitely get an egg or two on the side. The way they cook them is phenomenal. It's a sort of in-between of soft and hard boiled, but flavorful all the way through. Note that the shop is pretty small, so you may not get a table to yourself. This is especially true during peak hours. My friend and I were seated in front of each other, with strangers sitting on either side of us. If you're looking for a more private setting, this may not be for you.

I came to Santouka Back Bay with my husband for the 3rd time in 2 weeks. Service is excellent! Kudos to Nate who is probably the hardest working man I’ve seen. We’ve seen Nate at all 3 Santouka locations and is always friendly and QUICK! Food is fantastic and so comforting. I always order the shoyu but I love the bentos also. Be prepared to wait in line though since there’re only 18 seats in the Back Bay location. ☹️

In Japan people queue up for good ramen. So when we saw the line, even though it was pretty cold, we decided to wait it out an hour before we were seated. And it was totally worth it. I ordered the tatanmen (it's limited time only) I can say legitimately that the ramen here is pretty good! And I've been to Japan several times now so I can objectively give you an accurate review. This is how ramen should be! 10/10 must-try and will definitely come back if we're around the area!

Absolutely tasty ramen! Loved that they greet you in Japanese which added to the ambiance of a cozy ramen shop in a busy area. The pork was so soft that it felt like it was melting in my mouth but still solid enough to hold with my chopsticks. Rich broth, chewy noodles, fast service. The biggest wow factor was that they have 3 sizes for your ramen, Small, Regular, and Large which was perfect since most other ramen places just gives me a big bowl I feel forced to finish which makes me feel worse. 5 stars well deserved

This felt like being at home in NYC. Very good ramen served in a very cozy spot off the main thoroughfare, with a bit of a line to get in. Once inside, service is quick and friendly and the food is top notch. This is Hokkaido style ramen, which is probably the most familiar style to most people. Santouka's broth is very good, and the noodles had an exemplary texture. Possibly my favorite part was the side of cha-shu gohan that came with my lunch set--a delicious little dish of rice with scallions and pork belly on top, drizzled with a little hot broth. Fantastic. It's worth the line to get inside and try this, and nice to know it's possible to get such delicious ramen in Boston.

Best ramen spot! ...Went to Santouka tonight with a few friends and had the most delicious ramen ever. The staff was also very kind and made sure our table was doing well. Overall super yummy and flavorfulll ramen, I'll definitely be back

I visited a couple more times and I have grown to really appreciate Santouka. Aside from the one bad experience I had, their noodles have been perfectly al dente during my other visits. Their broth is truly irreplaceable in my heart and I love dipping the chashu pork rice in the ramen broth. The marinated egg that they serve on the side is PERFECT every single time. The service is surprisingly fast for such a small restaurant with only one server. Santouka is just the perfect place to have a homey and hearty meal.

Expect to wait in a line outside. That's how you know it's a good place. We didn't wait long, maybe 20 minutes. It was the weekend of the Boston Marathon so the streets were busier than normal. We were seated at a communal table. Most if not all were like this so they can fit more people. Fortunately my friend and I were seated right at the window so we only had people on one side. This is a no frills restaurant, which means don't dilly dally. You never feel rushed, but the atmosphere didn't make us feel like we should stay beyond what we needed to enjoy our ramen. Speaking of, we both got small sizes. It may look tiny, but we were both very full when we finished. Broth was creamy, thick, and savory without being salty or over powering. Noodles were perfectly cooked. I loved the menma and the ume on top. It was the perfect meal for a busy Boston day of walking around the city. Don't sleep on this place!