Orenchi Beyond

Ok. I'll admit this place was in a weird location in SF. I was expecting it to be in a busy downtown area. But it was a dead street when I came. But don't let that deter you away from trying this place! Service: Great quick friendly service! They do have a smaller seating area, so get there early so you don't have to wait. Food: The ramen was amazing! The noodles were al dente which I absolutely loved. The broth was seasoned well, but didn't give you that heavy/salty feeling afterwards. My hubby got their beef teriyaki bento box and that was impression! They had such great little side dishes that came with it (which we were not expecting). The steak was tender and cooked perfectly - not too well done or under. Overall: I would definitely recommend this place!

OK I feel like it's been a while since I've had a ramen place really impress me, so kudos to Orenchi!!! Their ramen has the thick noodles which I lovvveeee and they really hold the broth flavor really well. The broth was also amazing, so flavorful and really strong garlic which I'm a fan of. The egg was perfectly soft boiled and the chashu was delicious, though I wish they gave more than just one piece per bowl. Pricing is pretty standard for SF, so expect it to be around $15-20 for one bowl. I also got the appetizer of spicy chicken karaage which was pretty good too! And also kinda on the spicy side so beware if you aren't a spice connoisseur!!

I came by at around 6:45 for a weekday dinner, thinking we were slightly ahead of the dinnertime rush, but wished I had read up ahead on how busy this place gets. Orenchi has an efficient waitlist system- I was able to see that there were 4 groups ahead of us, but I was unaware that there were also reservations that pushed my group back further. Overall, we ended up waiting almost 45 minutes, but the waitstaff was extremely helpful and allowed us to place our orders while we waited to speed things up. The ambience at Orenchi is lovely, and they also have a well-heated outdoor patio. My group was all vegan/vegetarian, and we were very impressed by the fact that there were several ramen options available to us! I ordered the spicy miso vegan ramen. It definitely lived up to its name- it really was spicy! The spice level was okay for me, but could be a bit too much for those with sensitive palates. I've tried a few really great vegan ramens, so my expectations were pretty high. This one was good, but not outstanding to me. I think the biggest detractor for me was that the spice masked the other flavors of the broth. I would return, but maybe try a different ramen. I wouldn't recommend Orenchi as a location for a spontaneous dinner, but definitely try it out with a reservation! The food, ambience, and customer service all made for a great dinner.

Came here on Thursday evening around 8:30 (the close at 9). Outdoor and indoor dining available. If you want to eat indoors, make sure to have your vaccine card on your phone. There were plenty of tables inside and outdoor was pretty packed (they have heat lamps for outdoor dining). There was no wait for indoor dining which was great because it was a cold night. Ordered hamachi ponzu, chicken karaage, and 2 bowls of Orenchi Ramen with regular spicy miso (1.50 extra). Hamachi ponzu 5/5: this was surprising really good. There was marinated seaweed on the bottom, layered with hamachi, onions, micro greens, and fried sliced garlic around the sides. The bite with everything had so much flavor and different textures. The hamachi sliced were pretty thick as well. And OMG if you like garlic, the nice crunch and aroma topped off amazing flavor and texture profile. So good! Highly recommend! ($12) Chicken karaage 4/5: love that this is chicken thighs and not breast, so the pieces are nice and juicy. Has a good crunch on the outside. ($6.50) Orenchi Ramen with spicy miso 4/5: one of the best ramen broths I've had in awhile. Minus 1 point because the noodles were too much on the al dente side. The egg was cooked perfectly and has the perfect color from the marinade. Disappointed that there was only one thin slice of chashu pork, but I had karaage, I guess. ($15.80, +$1.50 for spicy miso)

If you're in the Mission and looking for great ramen as well as appetizers, look no further. I ended an almost 4 day fast today, and ramen was calling my name. So I convinced my fiancé to come here. Service is consistently friendly and attentive every time we've been here. Favorites tonight were the agedashi tofu and vegan tomato ramen. I've now tried the vegan tomato and vegan curry, and my new favorite is the vegan tomato. The orenchi sake flight was fun, my fiancé's favorite was the nigori, she said it paired really well with our food. Also, we think they are really good at fried food here, everything we've had that was fried has been ideal texture, nicely fried without being overly greasy. Our least favorite tonight was the hamachi appetizer, it had too many garnishes, which took away from enjoying the fish. The agedashi tofu: tofu was really soft and fresh (homemade?!), the fried part hit the spot with the dip as well, and it was fun that we got to pour the agedashi sauce over it. The vegan tomato ramen had an umami creamy sauce, and I loved all the veggies, each had the perfect texture, my favorite was the eggplant.