Tampopo

Great space with delicious vegan options. We stopped in for a quick lunch and left full and satisfied with the perfect spices. Super sweet staff that is knowledgeable about dietary needs.

Another great little hidden gem so many in philadelphia, we had an awesome cold soba noodle salad and spicy marinated cucumbers on the side.The bowl was very big so we were able to share what a nice place.Great place to come and just relax and enjoy nice summer night. People were very nice

Service was quick and the staff was nice but the food was quite honestly underwhelming in my opinion as it was lacking the flavor and authentic taste compared to other Korean restaurants. The Bimbimbap had a seasoning on the side to mix with it, but the ingredients themselves did not feel as high quality. I would be willing to try again but not thrilled with my first visit.

One of my favorite local spots. The food is delicious, but the atmosphere is what keeps me coming back. The cafe-style seating is never full, and it’s a quiet place to linger over dinner and a cup of complimentary tea.

I got the Chicken Bento Box and let me tell you: this food was out of this world. I cannot express enough how amazing the food was: the chicken was juicy, full of flavor, and tender while the bento box had amazing side dishes that complimented each other pretty well. The food is also relatively cheap and they have a wide selection of different dishes, desert, etc. They were also really quick with the food and provided great customer service. I would definitely go again.

We got the beef bulgogi bibimbap. I would have given 4 stars if the dumplings weren’t straight from Trader Joe’s!!! They tasted good but I feel like I got ripped off:( their prices went up from what was online and on the menu, a little disappointed bc I was really excited to try

Been steadily trying all the dining establishments close to my apartment. Most are either overpriced or downright nasty. To my delight Tampopo is neither ! Today I tried the spicy chicken rice bowl. It was at a great price point of $10 and the serving size made me feel like I got my money's worth. The bowl itself featured two broccoli florets with a serving of rice and spicy chicken. The chicken is quite spicy and the flavor reminds me of gochujang. Cooked to order the chicken was succulent and flavor was on point. I will be coming back to try the other fare.

I got the udon noodle stir fry with chicken and kimchi and my partner got the chicken rice bowl with fried pork dumplings, we both got bottles of tea, for $40 total. All of it was super delicious, especially the sauce used in the udon noodles and the chicken itself. Good portion sizes, fast service, good atmosphere, like a small fast-casual setting. Will definitely go back!

My friend introduced me to Tampopo, and I thought it was great. The food is reasonably priced and it tastes good -- there is a solid variety of options on the menu ranging from Yakisoba to Bibimbap and more. The staff is also extremely friendly, and the service is fast. After you finish your food, you bus your own dishes and bring them to a bin. Definitely a spot worth checking out in the area.

Food was great and the server is very friendly! Bibimbop gyuksoo was delicious and so was tofu katsu. Good portions and feels healthy fresh and light

I stopped by for an impromptu lunch here at Tampopo as I've walked by it many times and haven't had a chance to try it yet. It was really cute inside with a decent amount of seating. I got myself a lunchbox, with the fried dumpling option and the tonkatsu. My partner also got a lunchbox with spicy pork stir fry. It comes with a salad with sesame ginger dressing and plenty of edamame beans. I really liked the composition of the box, although I do wish we had soy sauce to come with it for the dumplings (though, I didn't ask so maybe they just keep it behind the counter). I would describe the cuisine here as Japanese-Korean fusion, and I think they do a great job of offering a lot of different dishes from both cultures. I really enjoyed my tonkatsu, they definitely didn't skimp on the chicken pieces (they gave me a TON) and the plum sauce was the right amount of tangy. I felt like the meat portions for both honestly were really generous compared to other places I've been to with bento box options. The price also was super reasonable. They have water for diners but also have a fridge full of delicious drink options like Ito-En tea or Ramune for you to choose from. I really loved the spicy pork my partner got as well and kept stealing some from him. I thought the marinade was really delicious. I definitely will be coming by here again whenever I have a craving for a nice hearty lunchbox meal, or for takeout. Service was great and the food came out pretty quickly. I'd highly recommend!

Pretty good, kimbap, Dolsot bibimbap, veggie tempura On point but not super authentic. I think it's more of a Japanese Korean fusion. But still tasty. Why isn't kimchi given for free with every entree? Also needs optional metal spoons for dolsot bibimbap lest you have a partially melted flaccid plastic spoon Good drink options Good service Quiet ambiance

I recently heard about Tampopo from a friend and, after seeing the prices and pictures online, I was very excited to try them. The restaurant felt like a small, family restaurant. They also had a wall with their most popular items if you get overwhelmed with options like me. I ordered a bowl of squid with white rice (they also offered brown rice) and my friend ordered the beef and spicy chicken bento box. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed off its dine-in section so we had to take the food home. Regardless, the food was delicious. The squid was a mix of sweet and (slightly) spicy. The portion was great for the price and I was definitely full after finishing my bowl. My friend also enjoyed their bento box and actually had some leftovers, which they saved for later. Overall, the food was delicious and the price was great compared to other restaurants near us!

My co-workers and myself order from here religiously. Spicey chicken bowls are a perfect quick dinner.

I get this place at least 3x a month. It's great and it's decently priced. I always get my food consistently good and the front staff are always nice people.

This was my third time eating here and I generally enjoyed it every time. For Tampopo to be located in a very competitive foodie area, it seems to be doing very well. This spot is a nice eat-in / take out hybrid and has a chill environment. I've only order the rice bowl with spicy chicken. I honestly assumed the chicken would be THAT spicy but it was! And In a very good way. The chicken was a bit dry, but overall pretty good seasoned well. I tried some type of unsweetened tea drink that I absolutely hated, but that's what I get for ordering something I knew I wouldn't like since I'm not the biggest unsweetened tea fan. It's also a little pricey, but overall its good quick group hangout / meet up spot to chow at.

Love this place. Have always loved eating in as it's a byob but love getting take out. Great food and super high quality. Great value and really good service. Definitely a place to try.

After my second time ordering takeout from here, I can confirm the same assessment as most of the other reviews here - Tampopo is pretty great no matter what you get. Last time I had the salmon bibimbop, which was pretty tasty, and I'm picky about bibimbop. I think I might have liked my soba noodle salad with tofu and spicy dressing this time even more though. The salad is super filling so either order when you're really hungry or if you like having leftovers. My partner can confirm that the yakisoba noodles with tofu are also very good, but the curry yudon tofu is GREAT. I have to admit I was a bit envious when he got that the last time we ordered. I was thinking of getting it this time but decided to go for something lighter. Now he's declared loyalty to curry yudon tofu for all future visits so I've lost my chance. Guess I'll just have to try japchae noodles instead next time...

I've ordered the Bibibimbap and Spicy Pork Hot Stone Pot over rice from here - while the flavors themselves aren't that bad, I find the meats are often quite dry. Especially with the pork hot stone pot, the meat felt rather tough after many bites. The low rating is mainly due to the fact that there are a number of better Korean restaurants nearby with much better alternatives and hot stone pots. Also, Tampopo's menu is quite limited in comparison to these restaurants.

Small place to get sushi and such. Food was good and I felt was worth the value. Vegan options.

My girlfriend has so many options near her apartment in Ucity. This place is one of her spots. I hear the service is good, but we had to do carryout #covid. I enjoyed the kimbap and udon stir fry. The stir fry was flavorful and saucy. The rice underneath the chicken katsu was mushy, and the katsu became soggy. However, I can't blame them for the sogginess because it's in a takeout container. I would come back and try out their options.

I rarely leave reviews but this place deserves one. Any time I order out, 90% of the time it is from Tampopo. One of the few takeout places in the area that actually makes good salads (none of those pale, soulless tomatoes). Everything I've ordered from them (bibimbap, various noodle dishes, dumplings, salads) has been great and they're quick too. Have never eaten inside so I can't speak to that but for takeout/delivery they get an A+ from me.

Awesome, awesome place. My experience with Korean culture is limited so judged this review based on that. A coworker introduced me to this place and it's become our new Friday spot. We used to get Ramen every Friday but our place closed. Everyone is friendly and there is never a wait. This is great because we're coming from woodland and only have 30 minutes. Tofu Bibimbap with an egg. Then they give you this little side sauce. Mhmmmm mhmmm.

I'm very glad tampopo exists in West philly / University city. Coming from Dallas, Texas where Korean food is very accessible and good, I've been looking for a decent Korean fix near my school campus and this place does the job. Tampopo is definitely is not truly authentic as you can taste the sweetness in the red spicy sauce they give you, but it is still good. You can also do take out for their food if you want to walk down to Clark park to enjoy it in the nice weather. One thing to know is that it is self-serve so you need to get your own water and clean after you eat so please be mindful and clean after yourselves. My go-to is beef bibimbap with fried egg or the bento box. If you are like me who craves decent korean food in this area, def give it a go!

I GrubHubed some food from Tampopo today. I felt like some Asian food and after checking out their menu online, I decided to give them a whirl. I ordered the Spicy chicken bowl and a order of pan fried pork dumplings and a side of Kimchee. The delivery was quick, and I received all the necessary utensils to enjoy my meal. The Spicy chicken was delicious, sliced into bite sized strips with a tasty sauce, the sauce wasn't that spicy but the chicken was grilled perfectly. I enjoyed that it wasn't too soft and it felt like you were having real chicken. The dumplings were tasty, tender and a little bit on the smaller size, but very flavorful. The kimchee was good, with a satisfying amount in the container. My meal was as promised, the only criticism I have is the spice level was kind of PG-13. I'm looking forward for my next experience with Tampopo.

I came here to escape the heat of my apartment and for a late lunch. I've been to the center city location and this location is twice the size with ample seating. I got the beef bibimbap with a fried egg. Despite the heat outside, the inside is still pretty cool so I had no problem eating this hot dish. The moment the food was set down in front of me, I could smell the sesame oil and it really stimulated my appetite.

In the words of my friend who joined me for dinner, Tam-no-no. I wanted to like my food, but couldn't deny the bland, mushy brown rice I had with my Chicken Katsu. The chicken was soggy and it appeared my rice was floating in liquid. The food wasn't seasoned well and just was unremarkable overall. My friend's food was the opposite - too dry. I did like my fried dumplings, but it's a shame I paid more for my entree and just didn't really like that at all. I got a little to-go box for my soggy chicken and went on my way.

Word of advice - go to this tampopo instead of the one in center city - better cutlery and overall environment (more open and spacious) and the way the food presented is more pleasing to the eye (for example - bibimbap tastes so much better eaten out of a glass bowl/stone pot rather than a plastic one - just my opinion). I am a fan of the salmon bibimbap for something refreshing during summer. All the ingredients taste very fresh. I also enjoy their bento boxes - serving size is enough to fill me for lunch and have leftover for dinner. Bibimbaps in the stone pot come out sizzling and Insta-worthy presentation wise. I cannot attest to the authenticity of Korean cuisine but I do know that it tastes good! Very fair pricing as well. One thing though - I wouldn't recommend getting the katsu - it's not crispy as katsu should be as the rice bowl is quite mushy and soupy...never quite understood why...taste isn't bad but texture is off and definitely not what you'd be expecting for katsu.

After walking by a few times my boyfriend and I decided to give this little hole in the wall a try. The staff was friendly, our food was prepared quickly and the price was excellent considering the amount of food we were given. We ordered two rice bowls, which were both good, though my boyfriend's chicken bowl was slightly over salted (though he still enjoyed it enough to finish it all). We will definitely come again when we're in the area and in need of a quick, cheap bite. Also, I love that to cut down on waste they encourage you to bring your own bowl when ordering take out-they'll even give you a small discount for doing so!

Tampopo is one of my to go destination after a long day of work. Food is good and quite worth the money. Portion size is great for a person. The beef bulgogi was very flavorful however the whole platter was a little dry. The yaki udon was moist and tasty. Both their dining in and takeaway is equally good. Ambiance is fun and enjoyable with medium group of people. There are few free parking spots near the restaurant, so that's a big ease to come and have the food.

I am definitely a fan. I have been here a few times and have no complaints. I am actually quite surprised as the reviews made me a little hesitant at first. I love the spicy chicken bowl. It has a quick but not overly spicy over rice. I convinced myself i would only have half and ended up finishing the bowl in minutes. The bento box meals has great portions- i usually have to bring some home.

Back again three years after my initial visit, and it's better than I remembered. We came here on an early Sunday afternoon and there was plenty of seating. Here, you order and pay at the counter, seat yourselves, and then they bring out your food. Subsequently you place your dirty dishes in a slot when you've finished. I ordered the standard beef bibimbap with a fried egg, and it was quite good. I've never had mind-blowing bibimbap.. since it's literally boiled vegetables and marinated meat mixed together with rice, but the ingredients tasted fresh and the portions were generous. Got like... 5 different veggies in this meal, so definitely not feeling guilty upon leaving!

Don't get the Chicken Katsu (over rice) - Probably the worst katsu I've ever had. The breaded chicken was soggy, and I've never seen a katsu served with what seems to be an egg stuck/wrapped tothe chicken. They were out of white rice so they were only able to serve it with brown rice. Cleanliness note: I observed one of the servers carry a few dishes to customers table. One of the dish was being carried by her inside elbow and the ends of her long hair was touching the inside of the rice bowl. No thanks.

Met friends at this Tampopo for a late lunch (to which I was late for). Unsurprisingly, the place was empty save for two tables. Much like their state of affairs, the interior is simple, naturally-lit, with austere wooden stools. At the counter, I wished for (and paid $8.50 for) a bowl of Tampopo ramen and received a buzzer. When it lit up and made noise, I ran to the counter for my ramen. Tampopo's ramen was a welcome afternoon snack. The noodles were okay, yielding, with a little heft. There was a good amount of meat, sweet and tangy, and an egg added flavor. Not sure if you can set the broth's heat level - I didn't specify - but it was slightly spicy. (Most normal people will cough after their first sip.) When we were done, we cleared our table, placing plates and silverware in handily-labeled rubbish bins. Those new to ramen will enjoy Tampopo's interpretation of ramen, but all others should leave high expectations at home. For sure, my meal didn't suppress my noodle-y ramen cravings, but their menu is intriguing enough to warrant future visits.

Tampopo has been my go to spot while I've lived in ucity. They make good food pretty cheap and pretty fast. I always get some kind of bowl order and they've never disappointed. It's always delicious and actually a filling meal. Now that I'm moving, I'll definitely miss that spicy chicken. I haven't found anything else that hits quite like that.

I got the bibimbap and it is pretty darn good, but I found the sauce that came with it to be way too salty (thank god it was on the side). They can serve it in a stone bowl too if you're feeling extra fancy and want to spent an extra few dollars. Their curry tastes like it came from those Japanese curry bars from the Asian market, but I don't know how you'd make curry otherwise so I guess this is okay... my boyfriend liked it a lot more than I did. Their service is fast, the staff is friendly, but the place seems kind of cold.. maybe because it's kind of empty and quiet and clean. That may sound great to you though. Also, they have brown rice, yay!. Prices are lower than at Koreana (and you also don't have to tip). It's a little out of the way for university city, so the customers are mostly locals, whereas Koreana is mostly students.

I love this place food is plentiful for the price! The women are always courteous and kind! You'll definitely be full and have leftovers!

Great spot for lunch with your friends. The menu is relatively mid size so you can pick something quick but still have tons of choices to choose from. I had the Tampopo Ramen (mild) and Green Tea Ice Cream. The ramen was not too spicy but I am not one for spicy food so go Spicer if you can handle it. The ramen was good. I wouldn't be craving but it was a good since it was freezing outside. Themosphere is very casual with limited seating so it can be hard to find a spot sometimes. Overall, the place had good food and service. Would go again.

This place is in a prime location. It's in the heart of uni city surrounded by universities, students, professionals, clinics, office buildings etc.. You would think the food would be top notch? NOT. I've tried the sushi here a few times, really no frills there.. My most recent and my last time venturing in on my lunch break I decided to have the hand-drawn chicken teriyaki noodle soup. I don't think the noodles were boiled all the way, they hurt my stomach so much after consuming them... Just felt like they were sitting on my stomach. The broth was so bland and was definitely missing flavor. Never again

Both gluten free and vegetarian options. You can substitute brown rice. BYOB! Great casual option

Cheap, casual and fast Japanese/Korean eatery serving all types of food from ramen to bulgogi to sushi. Great for groups because it's BYOB and has a wide variety of menu options. You order and pay in the front (no need to tip) and they bring out the food to you in a bit. I got the bulgogi stone pot special which was just okay. It came with white or brown rice but my bulgogi was also mixed with vermicelli. The curry udon and kimchi fried rice are quite spicy - beware! Right next to lil pop shop if you'd like to satisfy a desert craving :)

Another first after all these years I decided to venture into here today and was pleasantly surprised at the food ... spicy chicken box which was so great! I originally had a taste for ramen but so glad I chose this ! One of my definite places to return to..

My bf's go to is his spicy chicken bowl with brown rice $7.00 . This is A-OK. They give a lot of chicken, and the meat to rice ratio is amazing. They give you 2 pieces of broccoli . Overall it's delicious, but for the value.. meh. You can make this at home for less than $2.00, less than a dollar probably. Seafood Udon soup $7.50 I got this because I was still in pain from my wisdom tooth extraction. This was broth with udon noodles, 1 piece of broccoli and 1 slice of fish cake. Where do you think this is going...? Yup, not worth the value. It tastes the same as any instant noodle udon I've gotten from Hmart before (for 1.50). There are no toppings in it to warrent the $7.50 price tag. To add 2 pieces of shrimp tempura = $11.00 noodle so up. Umm.. I can get 2 bowls of pho stacked with meat for that. Imo, the 2 piece shrimp tempura udon should be $7.50. That would make them a 4 star for the value...

Both of my experiences with Tampopo were underwhelming. The food seems to lack seasoning and they are stingy on the sauces. My spicy tofu rice bowl was rather bland - white rice with steamed vegetables and a few pieces of tofu. Thank the lord for Sriracha! On my second attempted, I had a bento box, and let's just say Ben-NO. They seemed to do good business, so maybe I'm just ordering the wrong things. The atmosphere is also nice and it's byob, which is always a plus.

The place was simple and set like a fast food! Order, wait and eat! The service - ok. The food - ok. The price - too high for less! However, overall the neighboring is vibrant/hip!

I used to go to the Center City Tampopo all the time for lunch, but I had never been to this one. I was excited to see some extra things on the menu, such as ramen, Korean fried chicken, and hot stone bowls. Unfortunately, the ramen was underwhelming. The broth was just okay, there was a lack of exciting mix-ins (just scallions), and the egg was hardboiled (heresy!). My companion's tofu over rice was flavorful but lacked enough sauce for the rice--weirdly, since I mostly find places err in the other direction. I did like the more-spacious layout, but I'll steer closer to my traditional order of bibimbap next time and try the dolsot, with maybe a foray into their KFC.

Japanese and Korean food.. I'm really not here for that. My review is based off the fact that they sell Salmon, brown rice, and broccoli; I don't characterize it, but I like it. I normally call for pick up, food is always hot and tasty. To be honest, there's not such to see or write here; a solid quick bite.

Their food is ALWAYS amazing, whether in-restaurant or carry-out. Their prices are crazy reasonable and the food is incredible.

This places makes super tasty, healthy bento boxes and has good vegetarian options. I had the Tofu Kimchi with brown rice and it was delicious. Staff was friendly as well.

I love this little place. The food is always excellent, and the lady at the counter is always a pleasure to see. I usually review on google but these guys deserve a shoutout on yelp too.

Got ramen here on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It was cheap for the area but was below average. The pork had little fat and wasn't melt in your mouth, the egg was hard boiled and cold, and the only toppings were some scallions and bean sprouts. The only redeeming quality was the broth which was okay. I would go back here but only if I'm really craving it (and because the only other option is 2x as expensive).

I love Tampopo and shamefully don't go nearly enough. I have lived within a block or so for the last 5 years and have only been a handful of times. Recently, I have been VERY into the Spicy Tofu Kimchi bowl - it's super delicious and flavorful. I need to try out some of the other entree options. The staff has always been super nice and happy to answer any questions. $10 card minimum

The chicken katsu and curry are delicious. Everything feels fresh and tasty. One of my fave places to order delivery from

I got the bibimbap with beef but I felt like it was over priced at 9.72 with tax for the size that they gave. Whatever kind of protein you got was a dollar more except the egg which was an additional 50 cents. My friend got the green tea ice cream which she said was really good. I might go back and try the ice cream. The restaurant was also relatively quiet for 530pm. It was only my friend and me sitting in the restaurant. I think takeout is more popular than dining in.

Not sure why this place got only 3 stars. Bibimbap is very good for the city as well as my personal favorite the hot stone. Plenty of seating. Added benefit: They have filtered water!! Not like those other asian restaurants that give you tap. Some of the reviews below mention other dishes....but get what they're known for and you won't complain about portion or taste.

Pretty good! Recommend the Bibimbap - made well and the veggies seemed quite fresh. An issue I have is that some of the items on the menu (ex. Tempura shrimp) are WAY overpriced for the amount of food you get which is disappointing

Tampopo is probably a little underrated typical as a spot to eat off Penn's campus. I always get the chicken bibimbob with egg here and what I like is that it always tastes fresh. It tastes as if it is prepared fresh every time it is ordered - and moreso I love that it is a huge sustenative for an incredibly reasonable price. The staff is friendly in helping you pick what you want. It's a great lunch spot!

Are you effing KIDDING ME? $10.00 for a dry ass piece of salmon, a sprinkling of rice and 2 pieces of broccoli???? I feel like I've been HAD. Seriously!!! Worse than that, they charged me almost $3.00 for a bottle of tea that should have cost me no more than $1.50. Wish I had read the reviews before I wasted my hard-earned money!!! To top it off, I am STILL HUNGRY!!!! I should have gone to Pei Wei. On my way to McDonald's right now. SMDH. Stay away from this place.