We visited this place twice now. We being vegetarian with limited option, we still love the ramen. Service is fast and very accommodating. Thank you.

Best place ive tried Ramen here in SF!!! We got the spicy garlic tonkotsu extra spicy and the fried gyozas. There was so much flavor in the broth and the spicy level was perfect since i love super spicy foods. The gyoza were perfect. Staff was very nice and go out of thier way for you!!

Love love love this place. Their vegetarian ramen is some of the best that I've had. I like to add an egg to it. I also love their potato croquettes. The sauce that comes with them is so tasty! Very lucky to have such a great spot in the neighborhood.

When my wife and I got back home from a glorious 2 week trip to Japan, we were hunting for a good bowl of ramen for a good price somewhere in the city. We have a couple of favorite ramen spots in the South Bay, but we could never find a decent ramen place near home. Every place we saw or tried was overpriced, skimping on toppings, or the broth gave us a sodium headache. We almost gave up until we ducked into Saiwaii Ramen on a cold night, and we were so glad we did! Starting with the broth (spicy garlic tonkatsu), it had a nice, porky flavor to it, and was the perfect bath for all of the ingredients to soak in during the meal. We lean towards thicker ramen noodles because they hold more of the broth and flavors more, and these noodles did not disappoint. Cooked perfectly, right amount of bounce and chew. It's not traditional, but I actually like that the ramen comes with some spinach in it so you can get some veggies. I LOVE that there are nice slices of fried garlic in the broth, and they get even more flavorful when soaking up the broth. The pork slices were cooked to perfection with just the right amount of char on them. Be sure to get the chicken karaage! Juicy meat inside, so crispy and crunchy on the outside, and when you dip it in the sauce as well, it is perfection and satisfaction on a plate. Insert chef's kiss here. It's cozy inside, and the lady that's there is always kind and remembers things about me, no matter how long it's been since the last time I stepped in, so it feels like you're having a meal at a family member's house. I can't help it, I always tip a little extra because my spirits are lifted the moment I walk in the door to the moment I walk out and the lady says bye to me. No other ramen place in the city has the same family feel vibe. Thank you for always making me feel so welcome!!! In Japan, ramen is considered fast food, so it's supposed to be satisfying and on the cheaper end in terms of meals. Here in the Sunset, Saiwaii Ramen is the closest thing to that, and I'm already looking forward to the next time that I'm going to eat here again. Your search is over! Come here for a taste of Japan!

Pretty good spicy vegetarian ramen. I got the Vegetarian Spicy Garlic Miso Ramen and thought the spice level was perfect and actually spicy! The flavor could have been a little more there, but overall felt good to eat this on a cold SF day. Packed with tons of noodles and veggies too.

Saiwaii Ramen is an Irving gem that's been satisfying cravings for a whole decade now. It's a true family-run business, and that's part of what makes it so special. What sets Saiwaii apart is their commitment to diversity. Not only do they offer fantastic ramen, but they also cater to various dietary preferences with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. If you have allergies, just let the staff know, and they'll do their best to accommodate your needs. The place may be small, but it exudes a charming coziness that feels just like home. And the best part? The food is reasonably priced, so it won't break the bank like some of those overhyped ramen places in San Francisco. In a city filled with dining options, Saiwaii Ramen stands out for its welcoming atmosphere, diverse menu, and pocket-friendly prices. It's a neighborhood treasure that's sure to keep serving up smiles for years to come.

If you type 'Saiwaii Ramen' in Google Translate, it comes out as 'Fortunately Different Ramen'. Glad they didn't go with something like 'Kawaii Ramen' which would translate to 'Cute Ramen'. I actually thought THAT was the name, so I was relieved it wasn't a Little Kitty bowl of wet noodles. It looked to be a locals' place because i had not heard about it like Mensho Tokyo or Marufuku. I was just walking on this stretch of Irving and saw it was open (FYI, they close between 2:45-5PM). So why not? They offer a pretty robust menu and not just ramen - plus they had lunch specials. I went with the $14 Lunch Special A, which allowed me a bowl of ramen and an appetizer. I chose the Shio Ramen which provided a good amount of chashu in the creamy, salty broth (photo: https://bit.ly/3XWI38f). In the mix was the requisite wakame, menma, kikurage mushrooms, bean sprouts, green onion. garlic, and the addition of ground pork. The result was quite satisfying without the richness of tonkotsu, which wasn't necessary for me. For the appetizer, I decided to have a Vegetable Croquette, which was quite huge with a surprisingly light crispness to the panko (photo: https://bit.ly/3rr35PZ). With a rich tonkotsu dipping sauce, it was a true guilty pleasure. Croquettes were big in old Yasujiro Ozu movies where Setsuko Hara would eat them alone late at night to show the isolation she felt from her disapproving family. To offset the carbs, I felt a compulsion to order the $5.75 House Salad, a simple mix of lettuce, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes with a housemade miso dressing (photo: https://bit.ly/3rAb3GE). It was just fine, and so was the server who checked in on me frequently. FOOD - 4 stars...pretty solid shio ramen though it was the croquette that stole the show AMBIANCE - 4 stars...comfortable spot, no frills and no airs SERVICE - 4.5 stars...felt taken care of TOTAL- 4 stars...it was a 'fortunately different' experience RELATED - Exploring the Sunset? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2EI8eIJ