Ramen Tatsunoya
| Address: | 16 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103, USA |
| Phone: | +1 626-432-1768 |
| Site: | tatsunoyausa.net |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–3PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
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Russell Saisho
49 degrees on a Friday evening and a line around the building, something good has to be going on. Surely, plenty of hype in the weeks prior to its opening has played a part in Tatsunoyas appeal, but theyve got to churn out a good product to keep people coming. We were pleased when we finally got to the front of the line after waiting a little over a half an hour, a relatively modest wait time. The space is very modest, looks like it seats less than 40 people, a common trait of good ramen shops, but the decor is clean and modern. Im personally not a huge fan of the center table in the dining room, it could be terrible if you end up getting stuck across from an annoying party. The menu is simple, just a few ramen options, as well as a couple additions that can be made to your dish. We tried the Koku and Jun ramen. I preferred the Jun, it was the more traditional flavor, and was excellent. My girlfriend made a very poignant comment, that shes never seen the bottom of bowl of ramen. While the depth of the broth, perfect bite of the noodle, and flavor of the char siu were outstanding, the portion is the smallest bowl of ramen Ive ever seen. Sure, theres no need to be gluttonous, but sometimes it feels good to be. Im pretty sure Ill be back to Tatsunoya, but not sure how soon.
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Daniel Huang
Tatsunoya has a very simple menu, like many restaurants in Japan. The tonkotsu broth is very rich and tasty. It is a bit on the salty side. But it was still very delicious. They use a thin ramen that is cooked perfectly with the right amount of texture. The Chashu (pork belly) was tender. Id recommend adding extra pork. Adding the egg (which is still gooey on the inside) is also a nice touch. We also had a baby with us. And the staff were friendly and accommodating. If you come solo or as a pair, there are more seating options. If you are able to sit at the bar, you likely do not need to wait long for a seat during dinner service. The larger your party, the more likely you will need to wait in line outside the restaurant. Like most Old Town spots street parking is hard to find on busy nights. But there is a parking structure right next to the restaurant.
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Nathan Chan
Top notch ramen! The menu us pretty basic with 3 kinds of ramen, each with the option for more pork meat for an additional charge. There are some toppings to customize your ramen as well. There is also a pork rice bowl and a dessert. The place seemed to have served some kind of sushi rolls before, but the menu did not have them when I went. I got the koku ramen and my girlfriend for the jun. I loved the koku, it had a bold rich garlicky flavor. The jun has a similar flavor profile, but isnt as strong with garlic. The ramen is a bit on the oily side, as some others have noted, but I didnt find that to be a negative. The broth was very rich and satisfying. Its not my favorite ramen, but its very good. Its always great to have more great ramen choices in the LA area.
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Ellen Siu
Im a big fan of Ramen Tatsunoya and have been coming here regularly since they opened. The instant I tasted their koku ramen, I was hooked. The broth is so flavorful. It has a nice combination of rich, pork flavor, soy sauce, and a bit of a spicy kick. The noodles really soak up the broth flavor. I come here on weekend afternoons and there is never a wait anymore, which is great for me since I can get my ramen fast! We park by the park and walk here. It usually takes us around forty minutes to sit, get out food, pay, and go. Keep in mind I usually order extra ramen and no appetizers. I think if you just order the ramen, youd be out sooner. Overall a fantastic place that really gives you the taste of Japan!
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Jose Baldonado
First off, for the price I give this place 3 stars. A bowl of Ramen with extra Charsu tops out at $15. This doesnt include any additional toppings. Now what you get is good enough but if you want to splurge and get an egg or other add ons it just adds to the already high price. The Charsu meat is the best Ive had. Thick cut, well seasoned, and oh so tender. The broth is a bit on the salty side but I like it that way. The ramen noodles are a bit aldente and I prefer it a bit softer. Theres usually a wait. Overall the ramen is very good, but with the high price compared to other places, I probably wont be coming back too often.
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liz lee
I had the Koku extra cha shu and Tatsunoya roll to share. The broth is very flavorful but tad salty with dollop of chili which gives it a kick. The cha shu is very soft. Must be tenderized. Ramen has good chewiness. I refrained from drinking all the soup because of my experience with MSG. I was so thirsty through several hours after the meal which proves addition of too much MSG. I wish the umami flavor would be enough but evidently this resto has to give it a big dose of MSG. The roll is interesting with chashu inside. Again very tender. Instead of wasabi it had mayo. Dipped into soy sauce and it made it extra salty.
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成田理奈
日本から来たチェーン店だから美味しい。豚骨好きにはオススメです。個人的なオススメはチャーシュー丼withマヨ。このチャーシュー丼が柚子flavorになっていて癖になる味。日本には無い味だから是非試してほしい。店員の人達もみんな気さくな感じで嫌な顔や疲れた顔を見せない。あと正直太麺もオプションで付けて欲しい。
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Andrew Tee
To be honest, I think this place is kind of overrated, especially for the hour line we had to wait in even after getting there 30 minutes before opening. The ramen itself is pretty solid, but with places like Benten and Modan within a few miles from here for a little cheaper and no wait and much better parking, I would probably opt to head to one of those. Definitely still worth coming to check it out, but theres really nothing special. Parking is horrible, theres a lot right next door, but youll have to pay a bit for it, while there are a few lots in Old Town that are 90 minutes free.
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Ed Hsu
Lined up 20 min before opening and got to pre-order before sitting down. Ordered the Koku Tonkatsu and a glass of water no ice. Sat at the counter since it was just me and looked around as everyone piled into the restaurant. By the time everyone in line sat down, there were still some empty seats around the communal table. Food took a few min to come out but didnt take long. Would say I was in and out in 20-25 min. Ramen was good, broth was pretty darn salty, pork was melt in your mouth. Overall I enjoyed it but I wouldnt wait in that line again to eat it.
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Felix Hsu
I ate their Koku Tonkotsu Ramen when they were in US for the 2014 Yokocho Ramen Festival as well as when they opened up a pop up shop at the Torrance Mitsuwa. Its finally nice to have another Japanese ramen shop in the US. This time at their shop, I had the Jun Tonkotsu Ramen Extra Chashu. That broth was meaty but had none of the congealing liquid fat floating on top. That broth was delicious. The chashu was unfortunately somewhat cold and not as tender as I was hoping for. The noodles were cooked perfectly chewy just how I like it.
