The 'Other' Ramen House - Ramen House Raijin

When you're craving some good ramen in Sacramento, I would typically steer you towards Ramen House Ryujin. It's probably the most popular ramen restaurant in town. But often times Ryujin has a long line and a long wait time. Rather than waiting, some folks (who are in the know) walk right across the street to Ramen House Raijin to get their ramen fix on. It's just about as good as Ryujin, and an excellent place to satisfy your noodle desires.

Food -
If I'm not mistaken, Ryujin and Raijin have the same ownership, so the food can't be too much different from each other. In fact, many of the menu items are similar between the two places. Raijin, I believe, actually has more food item offerings - but I could be mistaken.

As for the food at Raijin, there are plenty of ramen choices to select from. If you're in a spicy mood, there are spicy ramen flavors to get. Typically this spicy ramen flavors come with a red colored broth. It really isn't that spicy, but will give you a nice kick of heat. If you're just like that hint of spiciness, these bowls of ramen will really hit the spot. I like to add extra noodles to my ramen to make the dish just a little bigger. If you're really hungry, double noodles is also an option to get.

The milder brothers come in pork and soy varieties. They offer a much milder and smoother taste than the spicy ramen. These milder tastes still boast a rich flavor that is very enjoyable. What I love about Raijin is the ability to customize your bowl with the exact ingredients you want in it. The menu does a great job of showing you exactly what you can put in and at what cost.

Ramen's most important feature is the noodle. And the noodles at Raijin are absolutely addicting! Often times I finish my extra noodle bowl and crave even more - making me wish I had gone with double noodles. The ramen here has the perfect texture; it's so easy to eat!

Another favorite dish of mine at Raijin is the chashu rice dish. It's the same pork that you find in the ramen dishes, but prepared a different way. It pairs with rice perfectly. This is a dish that I will sometimes order alongside my ramen just because it is so good. On a recent visit my I got this for my mom and she enjoyed it very much - even though she is a very critical eater!

If you're looking for starters, Raijin has plenty of appetizers to get you going. I often order a little plate of fried chicken karaage. I select the spicy version and it comes loaded with this insane looking amount of peppers. Looks are deceiving though as the dish really isn't very hot at all!

Service/Atmosphere - 
Raijin is all about getting you in, seated, eating, and out! You'll often be able to get a table relatively quickly as the dining area here is large. There's ample space for many customers to dine in. A bar area is available as well, but often there should be table space if that's what you're looking for. Raijin has some Japanese style decor all around, but it hasn't been very well kept up and looks as thought it could use a bit of cleaning. I'm sure that's not a priority as business here is quite brisk.

The servers here do their jobs exactly as they need to. They are friendly enough and check in on you from time to time. If you need anything, just flag one down and they will get you what you need. It's a pretty no nonsense experience, so just expect that.

Price -
Bowls of ramen will be around the ten dollar mark. Adding more noodles or extra ingredients will boost that amount a little higher. Overall the prices at Raijin aren't that bad. Everything is reasonably priced. It's not on the cheaper side, but sits nicely in the middle - I certainly wouldn't say it is a high priced place to go.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
Come to Raijin if Ryujin is too long a wait! I'd say the food is 90% as good as what Ryujin is. Sure, Ryujin is a little better in my opinion, but you have to factor in the wait time over there. If you're hungry, this place will satisfy you!

In terms of food, give the chicken karaage a try. It is fried very nicely and comes out pipping hot. They have a few different varieties of it here - pick the one that appeals to you the most!

Bottom Line - 
Raijin is a solid choice to get ramen in Sacramento. It often gets overshadowed by its neighbor Ramen House Ryujin, but Raijin continues to go on strong for a good reason... it's a great place to eat in and of itself!

Letter Grade

B+

This chashu rice dish is off the charts!

The Tokyo ramen has a soy sauce base.

Spicy chicken karaage isn't as intimidating as it appears to be.