It was such a treat to dine here! Truly a hidden gem in San Francisco, Clint and his wife Yoko offer the most exceptional ramen and a myriad of other tasty bites, all made right in front of you and with the delicacy and precision of brilliant culinary artists. It's amazing to think they aren't trained chefs because it's one of the best meals I've had! We did the mini sake pairing menu and it was so much fun. As a sake lover, it was great to see such a unique and varied selection paired with the courses. I wanted to live in the moment so didn't take any pics. :) I wish Clint and Yoko an abundance of continued success. What they've created is really special and they should feel incredibly proud of how far they've come with this restaurant. Put the time slot to book reservations in your calendar and be sure to go! Highly recommended!

We had a very special dinner at Noodle in a Haystack. The food was all very innovative and delicious, and Clint and Yoko were so friendly and welcoming. They are true artisans and I wouldn't be surprised if they win a lot of awards. Highly recommended!

This is *the* hardest reservation to score in San Francisco. Located in a nondescript building in the Inner Richmond, Noodle in a Haystack is serving up a $195 ramen tasting menu. Husband and wife duo Clint and Yoko were finalists in the World Ramen Grand Prix in Tokyo, which inspired them to start their business in San Francisco, quickly earning its spot as one of the top new restaurants in the country. They insert ingredients from their ramen to each dish of the 8-course tasting menu. We started with a crispy golden financier topped with caviar and smoked shoyu creme fraiche, followed by a chawanmushi, or savory egg custard, with ingredients like Dungeness crab dashi gravy, Hokkaido Uni & Scallop. The chilled A5 wagyu tan tan men was incredibly refreshing from the cold house-made noodles and dashi, yet rich in flavor from the wagyu butter and mala. Next, a tender black cod and Japanese pickles before the climax of the tasting menu- a piping hot bowl of ramen that they rotate out every couple months. This is a hainanese chicken inspired shio ramen, with perfectly chewy housemade noodles in a translucent salt-seasoned broth. We finished strong with a refreshing Yuzu shaved ice, and Shoyu honey mirin Japanese pancake. You absolutely need to go for a special occasion or a nice night out!

Dinner review. Japanese (non-traditional) tasting menu. Winter / Early Spring Extended Menu (Highlight) Financier Tsar Nicoulai Golden Reserve Caviar, Smoked shoyu crème fraîche (Highlight) Chawanmushi Dungeness crab dashi gravy, Hokkaido Uni & Scallop, Garlic Brown butter, Shio tare, Mountain Yam, Mitsuba (Best. Awesome.) Chilled A5 Wagyu Tan Tan Men Japanese sesame tare, A5 Wagyu "butter," Ramp Vinegar, Mala, Dashi, A5 Hokkaido Wagyu Striploin Black Cod Steam roasted Black Cod, Japanese Sea Bream dashi, Blood Orange Olive oil, Chives Tsukemono Pickles of the Day (Highlight) Hainan Chicken Shio 8 hr Whole chicken & Pi water broth, 5 fish dashi, Shio Tare, Ginger scallion schmaltz, "Hainan Chicken" Roulade, 3 day cured jidori egg, Tokyo Negi, Aged onion, Micro cilantro Annin Kakigori Yuzu shaved ice, "Almond tofu", Kiwi preserve Dorayaki Shoyu honey mirin pancake, Burnt caramel, Chantilly, Salted brown butter crumble Overall, "as good as it gets."

It is challenging for me to describe how much passion and effort they put into the quality of their food. When I first arrived outside the restaurant, everyone patiently waited for the door to open on the dot. When the door opens, we are warmly greeted inside and check in promptly. There was a space on the right side to hang our coats and store our umbrellas since the rain was torrential. When I first sat down, I noticed how vast and spacious the restaurant was, with a beautiful large countertop leading to an open kitchen. The first course came, and despite how assuming it looked, that single bite packed such a large amount of flavor that I knew it was going to be a lovely evening. The subsequent dishes that followed were also not what it seemed, but the flavor did not clash for me. I had plenty of sake pairing during the meal that you never thought would work with that dish, but the pairing was pretty on point. I had lots of new sake I had never drunk before, and I had taken plenty of photos of each bottle so I could find it later when I wanted to. The owners are amiable when conversing with everyone and answering questions on the dish in particular or if they have any recommendations on another restaurant they like. It is not an experience I can elaborate on in detail, but rather, you have to experience it to know how different it is from all the restaurants I have experienced in the Bay Area. I will return to try their dishes when they rotate them again for the spring time.

Review for my visit back in June 2023: Noodle in a Haystack has the hardest to get reservation in the city for good reason. You can feel Clint and Yoko's dedication to their craft through the attention to smallets of details in each on of their dishes. Seating is very intimate, with an L-shaped bar surrounding the prep area. We opted for the sake pairing which came with 8 different dishes. 1) Our soirée began with a Financier adorned with Caviar. The gentle sweetness of smoked shoyu harmonized with an exquisite touch reminiscent of a sophisticated lox bagel, a whimsical yet refined appetizer. 2) Next was the Chawanmushi unveiled itself with an audacious twist. Chicken intertwined with the nuanced depths of dashi-infused egg and seaweed. The XO sauce played mischievously, adding textures and layers that challenged the norms of this classic dish. 3) Enter the cold ramen--a delicate dance of flavors. The sundried tomatoes lent a surprising depth to the broth, while the velvety richness of uni bestowed an opulence that resonated with each spoonful, crafting a symphony of sensation. 4) Bluefin tuna and arugula salad - meticulously selected, was a testament to the restaurant's uncompromising commitment to quality 5) The A5 wagyu beef and curry arrived, accompanied by ethereal fried milk bread--each bite a sublime exploration. The beef melted like poetry, while the curry caressed the senses, culminating in a crescendo of flavor and tenderness. The dish was exteremley playful and hit a nostalgiac note for me, reminding me of the best parts of Japanese comfort food. 6) The Yuzu daikon pickle offered a palate-cleansing interlude--a clean, citrusy burst that revitalized the senses, leaving a trail of zesty elegance. However, it was the humble cucumbers that stole the spotlight--a seemingly unassuming creation transformed into a mesmerizing delicacy. The balance of salt, sugar, and shio konbu created a harmonious dance on the palate, leaving an enduring impression. 7) Lastly, the Shio Butter, Corn, Whelk and clam ramen--an opus of depth and complexity that rewrote the boundaries of noodle artistry. As the konbu butter melts into the clam broth, the ramen transforms into the most deeply flavourful seafood broth. The whelk and corn provide a great textural contrast to the amazingly toothsome noodles and chashu. This was quit possibly the best single bowl of ramen I've ever had the priveledge to try. 8) Dessert was a combination of shaved yuzu ice and burnt basque cheescake. I'm not much of a dessert person, but both were a satisfying way to end an exquisite meal. Noodle in a Haystack transcends a mere dining experience--it's an immersive tapestry of flavors, textures, and narratives. Each dish is a chapter in a story, orchestrated by a chef's genius and enriched by hosts who transform a meal into an unforgettable saga. A reservation here isn't just access; it's an entrée into the extraordinary.

A gem that delivers big on taste and heart. The chefs / couple are clearly talented and very passionate about what they serve. The deviled egg was a great starter. The Chawanmushi steamed egg was one of my personal favorites, topped with their homemade XO sauce. No surprise the ramen stole the show -- balanced and noodles were perfection. It was inspiring hearing their story and I hope to be back soon to taste what's next.

Came here in early August and made reservations via Tock that drop monthly. * financier with caviar - sweet, smoked shoyu. Like a sweet lox bagel bite. * Chawanmushi with XO sauce - shrimp was sweet. The egg is made with ramen tare for deep flavor. XO sauce was fun texture with the silky egg. Not your average chawanmushi. * Three eggs carbonara - carbo-nabura soba. Made with pasta flour. There was some konbu dashi. Garlic brown butter. Shoyu and shio tare. Shoyu made with oysters. Topped with a soy cured egg. * Tomato salad - peeled sun gold tomatoes. Fromage blanc cheese. Mala spicy sauce. Dashi gelee. Salad dressing made of vegetables. Shiso leaves on top. * 16 hour pork belly braised karaage - with marinated shiso leaves. * Yuzu daikon pickle * Cucumbers - made with salt sugar shio konbu. My favorite palette cleanser of the night. * Shio butter clam ramen - clam meat "ice cream". Hokkaido scallop. Konbu butter compound. 6 hour Pork neck collar chashu. As the butter melts, the broth changes from a clean clam broth to a creamy rich seafood broth. * yuzu shaved ice with golden kiwi preserve and almond jelly. With apricot seed extract. The shaved ice machine they use is from Japan and the texture is definitely different than the normal shaved ice. * Doraiyaki - white peach. Double brewed shoyu and mochi flower in the batter. Brown butter cookie crumble and white peach in the center. Delicious with great balance. The dining experience is very intimate and you get to learn a lot about how much thought and effort goes into their menu. For example, the noodles in their shio butter clam ramen being a collaboration with their noodle maker. They have a great sake selection and I would definitely try their sake pairing next time since the selection seemed like a lot that I haven't seen before. This is my second time at Noodle in a Haystack and I'll definitely be back!

Summary: So much more than just fancy ramen Details: For the uninitiated, Noodle in a Haystack has been around for many years now, originally operating as a ramen-focused popup at various venues, with reservations that were largely impossible for most to get. Since those early days, the business has evolved significantly, with Clint and Yoko opening up their own brick and mortar space (after many a bureaucratic roadblock), reservations being marginally easier to get (you have a ~15 minute window now instead of ~30 seconds), and the menu having turned into something more akin to kaiseki (though still built around a star noodle dish, of course). I was lucky to nab a last minute opening during their soft launch month, and got to see and taste the fruits of their labor, as my girlfriend and I were treated to a bevy of courses: some, significantly more stellar than others, but all enjoyable in some form, and each presented with a bit of fanfare and background from the couple themselves. While the main noodle (a wagyu aburasoba the day we went) itself was obviously one of the star dishes, their caviar financier, kakuni karaage, and annin kakigori were also particularly outstanding. Absolutely worth a shot if you can snag a reservation. And while $225 after included tax and tip is certainly a steep price for ramen, it's more palatable if you think of it in terms of a tasting menu at a Michelin star restaurant, with the same expectation of care and quality put into the dishes. Accessibility: The space is a bit smaller and comprised of bar counter seating only, but they specifically designed a wheelchair accessible portion with a lower counter towards the far end!