As temperatures dropped to the low 40’s, crowds were huddled on the sidewalk outside of Katana-Ya in Union Square, eagerly awaiting their turn to eat a hot bowl of ramen. We were staying at a nearby hotel, and since it was too cold to venture much further than a couple of blocks, we added our name to the growing waitlist.

After about 20 minutes, we were ushered inside, much to our relief. That relief was short-lived. The restaurant is split into two small dining rooms, and unfortunately, the rooms are so small that every time the door is opened, a cold breeze would whip its way through the dining area.

Since Katana-Ya is famous for their ramen, we ordered accordingly, opting for the miso soup base.

Luckily, the bowls arrived quickly, and we were all appreciatively slurping our noodles. I got the karaage ramen with fried chicken. Because the chicken was floating in the soup, it lost its crispiness. The chicken had been marinated though and was pretty tasty. Next time I’m asking for it on the side to preserve its fried goodness.

My dad, oddly enough, ordered sushi. Who orders sushi in a ramen restaurant? After tasting the ramen, my dad declared that it had a nice flavor and that the noodles had a good bite – sadly, his sushi did not live up to the ramen’s high standards.

If you’re in the mood for sushi, go somewhere else. However, if you are in the neighborhood and a bowl of ramen is calling your name, head over to Katana-Ya and add your name to the waitlist.

Location – 430 Geary St., San Francisco, 94102
Website – http://www.katanayausa.com
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Pesco-Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes