Tadashi Japanese Restaurant

Definitely a nice place to visit if you're missing and/or craving Japanese foods while you're in State College. I went with my friend and they sat us at the counter. The inside dining area was a bit cramped, with there only being a few tables and the aforementioned counter spaces, but other than that it definitely hit the spot. As a note, make sure you're heading to the right Tadashi restaurant. This one is based more around the dons/ramens whilst the other one is sushi and rolls.

Small amount of seating available here. If you go for lunch be prepared to sit at the “bar”. Otherwise this place was delicious if you’re looking for pork buns and ramen. They don’t offer sushi at this location but at the other one down the road.

Yum yum yum...those are the words you will be saying when you eat here. Everything we ordered, I would 100% eat for the rest of my life. I ordered the chicken bao bun, octopus balls, vegetable ramen ( I don't eat pork) and had the creamy mango soda. The food was so fresh and flavorful. The server was very kind and did not feel like they were rushing us out, the place became very busy while we were there. The bao buns were so light and fluffy, it was like eating a cloud. I know there is no shortage of ramen places in state college but I would definitely come back here again and again.

There are two Tadashi restaurants where one caters more to rice dishes/don (this one), while the other one serves sushi and rolls. We ended up trying both restaurants during our weekend visit to Penn State. This location has more of a casual setting, and it was really warm inside given the lack of AC and the open kitchen setup. But the food overall was much better than the other location. I wasn’t even hungry, but I took a bite of the strip steak don and couldn’t stop eating.

Amazing food. Terrific presentation. Waitresses glued to their phones. At one point I got up and retrieved a menu for myself and then had to go to the back to get the waitress’s attention to order other items. She forgot my drink as well. Still, the food was just so good

Great and authentic food! Dons and ramen are both good, loved the vibes. We had the spicy miso ramen eel don. Meat was tender soft and well flavored. Solid spot!

Cozy, well maintained space. The steamed buns are so soft and delicious, and the takoyaki was so flavorful!

A really nice place for a taste of absolutely delicious ramen. It's a quaint little restaurant with intimate dining. The staff are kind and respectful.

There are two Tadashi restaurants where one caters more to rice dishes/don (this one) while the other one serves sushi and rolls. We ended up trying both restaurants during our weekend visit to Penn State. This location has more of a casual setting and it was really warm inside given the lack of AC and the open kitchen setup. But the food overall was much better than the other location. I wasn't even hungry but I took a bite of the strip steak don and couldn't stop eating.

The place is great overall, it's a bit on the expensive side but the food is very good. The service is fast paced but they are attentive. The restaurant is small and traditional, but it is cozy at the same time.

We tried going to the other Tadashi location first but they said it would be a 30-40 minute wait, so we tried this location which said it would be a 20 minute wait. They were pretty accurate in their estimate and we got seated. The ambiance of the restaurant was very cool, as we can see the chefs making ramen behind the windows. I got a rice bowl that was really great. We also loved the chicken karage.

Stopped downtown near campus while in the area for a game. Finding a ramen place is becoming easier and easier - and this one was right on-par with what you usually expect. It wasn't very busy when we were there - several staff working behind the counter, and the volume inside wasn't too loud. I can see where this place could get really crowded. We were sat immediately - both with tables, as well as bar seating available. We ordered drinks and two orders of bao buns (one chicken and one pork) to start as an appetizer. The chicken was exceptional- thin crispy yet juicy chicken on the cloud-like pillow bun. The sauces on top were rich and flavorful. The pork was also very good the meat succulent and nearly fell apart upon first bite. The sauce on these was also very good and flavorful. For my ramen I went with the kuro miso ramen with no mushrooms. This was standard. The broth had a nice homely flavor, and the meat again was succulent and fell apart easily. The waitress was nice and attentive. Solid experience.

Sushi and udon noodle restaurant. It's good but they don't serve any ramen here. There other Japanese items here like Karaga and tempura.

Delicious chicken tori don! I would recommend to anyone looking for some delicious Japanese food in the area!

I had myself one of those "was this place better while I was in college or had I just not known any better?" Moments when I came back to eat here the other day. It wasn't crowded, so it's not like anyone was in a hurry, but the broth was low-mid at best. You can really put any type of noodles in ramen and I won't be picky about it, but the broth is really what makes or breaks a ramen joint and in this case it broke them.

If you're looking for amazing sushi or Japanese food in the State College area, you NEED to come to Tadashi. Everything I ate was so good and the prices weren't bad at all! I highly recommend the bao buns, we got the pork. The place is super cute, perfect for a date night or just to pick up from to take home!

Super flavorful broth and the noodles are cooked perfectly al dente so they don't get soggy as the hot broth continues to cook them. I would definitely get the extra pork next time since they only give you two small pieces. The pork bao buns were super super good and i'd definitely get them again

We still make it a habit of stopping in when we're in the State College area, about once or twice a year, but this location on College Ave has changed from great to just average. This location sells RAMEN ONLY. They only sell sushi at the other location on Atherton, a quick 5 min walk down the road. Luckily staff are used to directing people there as when you enter they ask: Ramen or Sushi? and explain they only sell ramen here. The restaurant is small and again will only seat complete parties due to space. Keep parties to 2-4 and you should be fine. Appetizer wise its very similar to the Atherton spot but again they're always out of takoyaki. I noticed on my last trip there toppings on their ramen seem to have shrunk. The pork is just 3 small pieces, one half an egg and a hand full of menma bamboo shoots and mushrooms shreds with a slice of nori. The shoyo broth is more like tonkatsu from my experience but each store/family does it a little differently. One plus is it is filling so you'll never leave hungry. We still plan on stopping in if we're in a ramen mood but the limited menu, smaller portions and higher prices caused me to drop my review to just average.

Delicious and packed full of flavor. We had a mix of things off the menu including both bowls, soup based bowls and sushi. All were very good and very flavorful. The sushi took a little longer to come out but very tasty. The portions were huge and the service overall was decent. The music was a bit loud and the restaurant is smaller so it's a bit harder to hear those in your party. The prices were fair considering the size of the portions.

There's now two Tadashi's and I'll review both here since they were at one time "one". The College Ave. restaurant is mainly for ramen, donburi or ten don. The shop at the corner of College & Atherton is now the sushi house. Sorry if this is confusing. I'm confused and I've ate at both several times. The ramen house is very small and usually very busy. You may sit with others in close proximity. The Sushi House is much larger and probably why they opened a second location. Still its really busy, loud and sometimes hard to get in the door. So the ramen is legit. If you read their description the broth is boiled in bones for +80 hours, etc....and its amazing. Not the $0.07 ramen you ate in College. The broth is delicious and watch it because it can have some kick. The ten don is various fish and veggies fried with dipping sauce and is different but also very delicious. There are other japanese inspired offerings of donburi. The sushi and sashima here is my favorite. All made fresh to order in an open setting for your entertainment. I keep coming back for an assortment of their roles and fish. We always order a random selection of rolls but my son's favorite is the flaming dragon roll.

By far the best Japanese food I have ever had! Delicious, flavorful, and inexpensive. These college kids are so lucky that they have Tadashi at their disposal! I hope more people discover this place and eat here often. They also have a great playlist, lots of old school jams. Loved it! My Haitian grandma (who doesn't like to eat out and can be a tad bit picky) also loved it which further proved that this place is a gem! I also love that they give you your drink in the bottle and not a cup. I didn't think this little detail would be significant but it was! I wish all restaurants did this. I guess it gave me comfort in knowing where my drink came from. If you're ever in the area, this place is a must with friends, family, or alone.

this ramen was so delicious! i also got seaweed salad that was scrumptious. i ate it all! i wish i had more water there was only one pitcher and the ramen made me so thirsty. i got the kuro ramen. i would definitely get it again there were so many good vegetables and the noodles were so good!

It was very good. Much different than the sushi that we are use to. The staff was very attentive and polite. The ambiance of the restaurant was unique and quite pleasant

Everything here is wonderful. The ramen is served beautifully; as soon as it's placed in front of you the warm steam swirls upwards and delights your senses with flavorful aromatics, while the visually presentation makes your mouth water. The broth is the perfect savory canvas for the succulent meats, fresh vegetables, and gooey ramen egg. I've tried several bowls, but the kuru miso has to be my favorite. In addition, the appetizers are flavorful and exciting- especially the buns. You can get them filled with succulent pork, fried chicken, or a tasty kimchi filling, all of which tastes divine folded into the soft bao. Same goes for the seaweed salad, miso soup, and spicy bbq octupi. Anytime someone visits, this is where I take them. The second location serves fresh sushi rather than ramen, so if your looking for sushi that's your spot!

3.5 stars and rounded up. A little on the fence for this one, I wouldn't come here expecting Japanese ramen, more like a great Taiwanese interpretation of Japanese ramen. It's pretty yummy and reminded me of living in Taiwan, but the flavor profile was different than any of the ramens I've had in Japan or other Japanese-owned restaurants. Hard to pin down exactly what makes it different--the broth tastes savory like Japanese broths, but lighter. (I'm guessing the owners might be Taiwanese bc I heard a lot of mandarin spoken with a Taiwanese accents by the staff and kitchen?) Either way, the grilled squid was delicious, the ramen servings were generous (tried the kuro ramen and kuro miso ramen) and I enjoyed the noodles and soft boiled egg. Service was pretty quick and friendly, arrived around 7:30pm on a Saturday evening and was able to get a table for two within 15 minutes. Server checked on us a couple times during the meal and also refilled our water. Covid precautions as of early Nov 2021: staff was wearing masks and most patrons wearing them until sitting down at tables. The space is fairly tight so tables aren't socially distant. There is hand sanitizer at each table.

Good food. I liked the Tori Karage, it's fried chicken appetizers. And the spicy tuna roll is so great. My brother and sister in law liked the katsu don as well. They said it was delicious. But the only thing is, the place can get really crowded. Like we were back to back with so many customers. It was scary especially during covid times. Most of the customers don't wear mask when they were walking around.

They don't have formal dine in service right now, so everything is packed to go, but you can eat your food at one of the handful of tables inside. I was so hungry and opted for the strip steak rice bowl ($15). My first bite of steak was so chewy that I had to spit it out. Good thing I wasn't on a first date! Other pieces of the steak were also very chewy and not the best quality of meat. Perhaps that's why it was drowning in sauce. Whomp whomp. The amount of rice underneath the steak is generous. The second star here is earned by the pork buns. An order of 2 is $9. There's a bit of lettuce and mayo in addition to the fatty pork belly, and this tasted decent.

Very good Ramen. Probably the best in the area. Tasty and ample serving size. If you want to know what ramen is all about, this place paints a good picture.

Great food! Everything was made with care. Someone takes their craft seriously here. I'd return often if I were local.

Quick service, good food. There was no disappointment in anything we had. The surprising favorite was the pepper, if you like spicy but not too spicy they are very good with the dipping salt they come with. Ramen was very good. One word of caution the location we were had did not have sushi on the menu, so make sure that you go to the correct location for what you want to eat.

Both Tadashi locations are great but the last I was here you can only get sushi at the other location, not this one. I love stopping in at this one for ramen and I really like how they designed the inside of this location. It's a great quick lunch spot. The staff is friendly and keeps this location very clean.

Incredibly GREAT Japanese food - none better in State College. Sushi, Sashimi, Ramen, Rice bowls...the entire panoply. Absolutely delicious and the presentation is beautiful. Friendly service staff, reasonable prices. Go there - you'll never regret it.

Service was slow, but it was busy. Food was phenomenal. Nice atmosphere. Would recommend if you're in the area and looking for a sushi place.

I love this place. Great Japanese food. Need I say more literally. SO Good and authentic 100% . If you want supreme quality sushi and ramen. You'll want to pick this place. I got chicken noodle ramen and a time before I got beef ramen and mango sushi. This place is in the heart of State College so on a Weekend night it can be a bit busy and loud. If you want a more quiet environment this isn't the place.

I was in town for work and had my significant other with me. She suggested we find a local Asian restaurant for lunch. We stopped at here after a quick search and I'm glad we did. The food was fantastic. We both ordered Raman and some sushi. Both of which were delicious.

YUM. I don't usually think of highly landlocked places as ideal for sushi, but this place was fabulous. It's got a cute little sushi vibe and the staff were lovely and quick and the food was delicious. I was there for a conference. On night one, my friend got sashimi and loved it and we went back again and then I went back twice more. I mostly had the rolls, but they were fast and good and the service was lovely and the prices were reasonable.

We visited this place only once while visiting someone at Penn State. My fiancée and her daughter are sushi fans. Me not so much. But I have to say the soft shell crab roll is amazing. Everyone was very happy with their meals. No to go boxes from this place.

The food quality and ambiance are above average. Feels like I am in Japan. I was surprised to find out that the restaurant is split into two locations: cooked and sushi. Totally separate buildings. That needs better explanation on Yelp. But the cooked squid on rice I had was very tasty. Need to find and try the raw fish place.

This place was SO GOOD, we went twice in one weekend! And ordered the same thing both times!!The broth in the ramen has a wonderful flavor, and the vegetables and seasonings with the shrimp were perfect! It is a rather small place, so you may have a wait, but it's worth it!!

Best Japanese food in state college. Sushi and chicken bowl are both fantastic. Make sure you try the side salad. Service is great but not a lot of seating so I recommend take out.

Excellent sushi and ramen! Love their shrimp tempura roll. This is a great place in downtown State College to grab a quick lunch. The fun atmosphere transports you out of Pennsylvania, and we love watching the chefs prepare our food. Seating area is cramped, especially if you sit at the front near the window. Because of the small size, you can expect to wait a while.

Came back 3 years later. Still the same ramen flavor - as I said in my original review it was not most tasty but still good enough for ppl in state college to come back. Adding photos for the food. Spicy miso has always been my go to and we always pair it up with pork buns and/or seaweed salad.

Visiting Penn State campus, I had a chance to eat at this place twice. This review is strictly about their Ramen I had. I ordered Kuro Ramen on the first time; then Kuro Miso Ramen on the sevond time. Broth base tasted same - Tonkotsu style broth. It was OK, but I wish it was thicker than what I got on both times. I like Tonkotsu based soup to be a little thicker; so, their soup was not that much thick, rather light. I expected black garlic oil on the soup may give out more taste and flavour; but it was not quite flavorful. Soup temperature was hot and was good for my taste. Generous amount of Kikurage topping and some bean sprouts along with a few bamboo shoots. Half-boiled egg (half) was nicely done. Chashu pork, on the other hand, was a bit disappointment as pieces I got did not have much taste other than simple "cooked" pork with very little flavor and not-so-soft texture. I like Chashu pork to be well-flavored and well-cooked than plain cooked pork slices. Preferrably pork belly rolled up version with certain amount of fat in. Noodle was medium thickness with slight curves, nicely cooked and served in the bowl on both times. Miso used for Kuro Miso Ramen had some spices in; so, it was a slight surprise as I expected straight Miso and Tonkotsu mixed flavour/taste. Overall, it was good slurping on both times.

This restaurant is delicious. Stopped in with my boyfriend for lunch and we were so pleased with our decision. There is a wide array of items, suited to all diners. We have walked past this gem dozens of times and have only now stopped in. I had some ramen and he had the strip steak don. Both were amazing. We started with some buns and edako and they were both delicious! The atmosphere is very nice, and the service is very attentive and polite. Will definitely be coming back!! Want to try the sushi!!

I was told this was the place to go for ramen in State College - and I wasn't mad when I tasted the spicy miso! The space is a small store front, but there are enough tables and a bar to sit at for smaller parties. We did arrive with two of us and wouldn't be seated for our party of 3 until the third arrived. Since we weren't confident they were showing up we went with the bar seats and ordered dumplings and each got a ramen bowl. I am glad I went with the spicy miso, it had good flavor and the bowl was huge. Plenty for a lunch portion! Also, this is a BYOB - so if I head back for a dinner a bottle of wine will be joining me!

Visit Tadashi after getting recommended by my coworker. It's pretty crowded partly because I went on a move-in weekend! The service is still really fast though. Their signature rolls are very unique compared to other sushi restaurants I have been to. I also tried the takoyaki (but forgot to take pictures). Takoyaki flavor is very authentic and delish, I have tried many places and haven't found a place that makes takoyaki as close to original as possible and Tadashi does a good job!

This is a really great little place. I wouldn't call it sushi as they didn't have any rolls. It was more Japanese cuisine/ ramen. The food was really good, we got the seaweed salad and the Tori Don. There are really good portions and we ordered one to share.

A great place to get some Japanese food in downtown State College. I personally love their special rolls and if you're in the mood for something warm, their spicy miso ramen is my favorite! Overall it isn't the best sushi or ramen I have ever had, but in a landlocked area like State College, it's pretty great in comparison to other restaurants! It's definitely a tighter space so there's usually a long line (so excited for them to move locations soon) but I think it's definitely worth the wait.

This is my go-to sushi place in state college. I enjoy all kinds of sushi and sashimi here as well as standard Japanese cuisine. I usually get take-out so I don't know about the service, but the take out hostess is always great. I would say the only need for improvement is accurate wait time promises.

The water comes in a large glass bottle for the table to pour. The cups have a modern, minimalist look. However, the water itself could have been colder. The server promptly replaced the empty bottle with a new bottle.

Amazing ramen. Apparently I need more words for this to be a legitimate review, so I'll say it again... Amazing ramen.

Had the spicy miso ramen and it was AMAZING! They have chili paste for added heat. Friendly staff and fast service. The atmosphere reminds me of a traditional Japanese ramen shop with a relaxing setting and space for everyone's needs. There is a clear heart in the design of this place that I love.

Consistently great sushi rolls. We love it and pick up food there regularly. Service is super efficient. Great location for easy drop off and pick up.

I was in town for a conference and was in the mood for sushi. State College offers several options for sushi but I can't imagine any of them beating this spot. I ate in with my friend and we were seated in bar style seating. We could see the chefs in the kitchen making the sushi. The service was great. The wait staff isn't overly in your face every few minutes asking you how your food is. The fried spring rolls were perfect and not oily. My roll was the winner. It was perfect! If I'm ever in town I will definitely be stopping by again!

Incredible sushi and udon bowl. Some of the best sushi with freshest ingredients I have ever had. Strong recommend.

I was quite pleased with my experience. Although the place is small, the flavors are big. I went with a party of 5 and we all ordered different sushi rolls and shared. All of them were tasty. Since their is limited seating, be prepared to wait. But it is worth it.

Got to come out and catch a Football game with my girlfriend and a couple pals. (Shout out to the awesome couple that let us use their season tickets to a game they couldn't make. Super nice people.) Stopped in here prior to the game to grab some grub and lay a foundation for the beer we were about to inhale. I really wasn't expecting a whole lot but upon entering was entirely convinced otherwise. You are hit immediately with the tantalizing aroma of a ramen house. The atmosphere is tight but quaint. We sat at the same table as a couple other groups of people but didn't feel like sardines. We ordered a few different types of ramen bowls and some sushi and it was all quite good. My ramen bowel was a very fresh veggie filled mix that really filled me up quick. The portions are quite large so be ready! The flavor was savory but light which is what I would want out of something like this. The sushi I had was good. I only tried a few pieces. It was average, run of the mill restaurant grade sushi for the most part. Still, very good though. The star here is quite obviously the ramen bowls though. I highly suggest stopping in if you are in the State College area.