Taniku Izakaya

I don’t often write reviews while in the restaurant but I couldn’t wait because this is simply one of THE BEST Izakaya restaurants I’ve ever visited. You can feel how much effort the owner has put in FOOD - I strongly recommend their Yakitori. All of them are good. They were grilled perfectly and marinated just good so that you can still taste the freshness of the material. We also had Takoyaki, it’s also very tasty, you can tell that they were made fresh! I also recommend their Katsu curry rice, they are not the usual ones you’ll get, it’s very authentic, feels like the one in Japan. Lastly, try their Yuzu beer, it’s very refreshing! SERVICE and ENVIRONMENT are all 100/100. The manager respect you and always ensure you get the thing you want. The environment is also very cute, decorated with many Japanese style decorations. From the Sonos speaker you can see how much efforts they put on these little details. If you have a chance, come and taste it. It’s THE BEST!!!

We had a great dinner at Taniku Izakaya! The food was absolutely fantastic — fresh ingredients, great flavors, and beautifully presented. Every dish we tried was delicious, especially the ramen and the hand rolls. The staff was friendly and attentive. If I had to mention one small thing, the background music didn’t quite match the cozy and authentic vibe of the place — but honestly, the amazing food more than made up for it. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in San Francisco!

Amazing food and atmosphere, large selection of Japanese Sake for very reasonable prices. By far the best quality to value for Japanese food in SF. The restaurant itself doesn't have a ton of seating especially for large parties so get there early and expect a wait if you have a large party. That said they are very accommodating and willing to combine tables for larger groups. All of the food I had was amazing and the staff were wonderful. Will definitely be going back!

We enjoyed our dinner at this cozy, small, and beautifully decorated restaurant. The service was friendly, and the menu is reasonably priced. The chicken karaage was a standout—crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of flavor. The garlic pork ramen came with two thick slices of tender chashu pork and delicious crispy garlic bits; the broth was rich and flavorful. The tofu was incredibly soft and tasty—definitely a must-try. The only downside was the beef ramen, which I found too sweet for my taste due to the generous amount of caramelized onions. It just wasn’t for me. The yuzu lemonade was light, citrusy, and very refreshing. Overall, I highly recommend trying the tofu, chicken karaage, and yuzu lemonade!

Good for small groups. Very small space and it is first come first serve so be open to waiting for the table. Stays open later than most restaurants in sf. I gave it a 4 but it is a low 4. Food: We were a group of 4 and ordered three small plates, two skewers, and one main entree, all to share. Our least favorite was the miso cauliflower, we didn't expect it to come in a broth; we ate it all but it was just fine. The carpaccio tasted fresh and had a nice truffle touch. Next time we should order some hand rolls. We enjoyed the other plates a lot like the karaage, the skewers, and the (un pictured) katsu curry don. I think the kobe or yuzu tori skewers were my favorites. If we split it all evenly amongst 4 it came out to about 28 pp including tip and we also had a hot sake. Service: Did not experience great service. It was just alright. I had to remind them to grab water for our table twice. The food came out in a confusing order - kobe skewer last, after the katsu curry.

My husband and I have always enjoyed the food at this restaurant and have visited several times. The quality of the dishes has been consistently good, which keeps us coming back. However, today’s service experience was quite disappointing. There was an Asian female server whom we seem to encounter almost every time we come here, and her attitude today felt noticeably cold. She never offered us water proactively, and when we were ordering, she seemed somewhat impatient, which made us feel a bit disrespected. I’m not sure if it’s because of my accent, but the sense of differential treatment was quite obvious. What made it more upsetting was that we observed her being very friendly and smiling warmly to a white couple dining next to us, which made us feel overlooked and treated differently. We still love the food here and hope this was just an isolated incident with this particular staff member. But we sincerely hope the restaurant pays more attention to consistent service quality and treats all customers fairly, as good service is an essential part of the overall dining experience.

HIGHLY recommend the new mentaiko udon. It’s my first time having udon like this, sort of like a buttery pasta. It is so rich yet somewhat light and the umami flavour to it is so tasty! The scallops are very high quality and tear apart easily. It has changed how I see udon and pasta entirely, so buttery and delicious I will never forget! This is probably my most favourite meal I’ve ever had. ^_^ ❤️ The hojicha panna cotta is also out of this world, texture is so nice, it is light and completely melts in your mouth. Any green tea enthusiasts who love sweets that are not super sweet will love it. I will say only one of my scallops were much fishier than the others and made me feel a little sick, but I would get it again!

This place is an amazing choice with a unique vibe, good menu, and reasonably priced food. To add a cherry on top it’s open till late, when the food options in the area are scarce! We couldn’t decide which of the appetizers to get and ended up ordering multiple of them. Karaage was crispy and delicious, and the yuzu dressing of agedashi tofu was refreshing. For us the star was the takoyaki, it was so goey, in the best way possible, and utterly delicious. They also had yuzu beer on tap, which we had not seen anywhere else. We will be back to try more of their items. The other tables seemed to really enjoy their donburis and ramen bowls.

Food here is always so good :D Some of the best ramen in town and an amazing sake selection. hand rolls are only $2.5 during happy hour!! and the scallops are amazing. the people are great too :)

We were initially aiming for another restaurant this Friday night, which happened to be Valentine's Day as well, but we couldn't find parking at that original location and ended up driving towards Japantown where we thought we'd find parking easier. On the way though, we stopped at a light, looked out the window, and decided to give Taniku a try since there was parking right out the door and it looked pretty good on Yelp. Guess we were meant to dine here tonight! And boy, are we glad we did. This was such a random, but fantastic find. We arrived around 5:30ish or so, and a quarter of the tables were filled. There's about 11 small tables that can be combined to bigger tables, but this place is pretty small. They also have a gratuity fee for parties of 5 or more, so just fyi. Everything on the menu looked so appetizing! Especially the small bites and skewers. But between the two of us, we got: 1) Mekyabetsu: This is brussel sprouts with karashi mustard. I admit I'm somewhat of a sucker for brussel sprouts, so that's already a reason for me to order this. Also, this is the first time I ever tried karashi mustard, and wow, brussel sprouts and karashi mustard pairs well together. The mustard is tangy, but also slightly sweet. It cuts the oilyness of the (probably) fried brussel sprouts. And although the brussel sprouts are crispy, the mustard coated on them makes it a softer. So tasty! 2) Kabocha Koro: These pumpkin potato croquettes came with a small side of spinach drizzled with some dressing. It also came with house sauce dip, but I found the house sauce kind of overpowering. It was even more tangy than the mustard that came with the brussel sprouts. The best part though is that the kabocha croquettes were so soft and fluffy. It melts in your mouth. It's like mash potato, but mashed kabocha. The outer crispy layer was nice and thin! 3) Geso Karraage: We contemplated between Chicken Karaage and Geso, but ultimately landed on Geso instead. These came with Japanese tartar mayo sauce, and lemon. I love how the squid pieces weren't separated into individual legs, but were kept as whole small squids (minus the head). Each squid had a lightly, fried, thin outer batter. It's both crispy, chewy, and not overly oily. I like how the tartar sauce is just mildly tangy and spicy. The portion size was great for the price point. 4) Tori Tsukune: I'm surprised at how big these were. I would describe them as either super fat kabobs or chunky chicken burger patties. The egg yolk with soy sauce was a decadent dip. And the minced chicken was sooo juicy. I don't know how they did it. 5) Tori Mo-Mo: There were also perfectly cooked chicken (leg) bites. These were tender, juicy, and just slightly saucy. Flavored perfectly. This might be one of the best Mo-mo I've had thus far. I don't particularly like teriyaki sauce, but I think this teriyaki was on the lighter side, so I actually really enjoyed this skewer. 6) Nama Don: My (main!) rice bowl came with 3 large pieces of Hamachi, and 4 scallops. These were all pretty fresh, and generous in sizing. The green tobico was interesting, but not so different from the regular tobico you see at other sushi places. Maybe a bit more refreshing? But it also might be because of the yuzu paste too. The rice was well made, slightly flavored with soy and kind of vinegary. My partner got the Hotate Miso ramen as his main dish. It was mildly spicy, but more miso-tasting. He said it was a great ramen, but pretty heavy. The scallops in his bowl were perfectly cooked (although I prefer raw scallop over seared/cooked ones). We also shared a Nanbu Bijin sake, and I'm not big on drinking, but I enjoyed this one! It's slightly sweet, kind of peachy, clear-tasting (if that makes sense), and doesn't linger. A pretty good sake in my opinion! Even my partner said it was good even though he doesn't generally like sweet sake. The restaurant is small, but it got packed by the middle of our meal. There's only two employees on the ground in the front, but they're both very professional. Quick on their feet, but also very attentive to their customers. 10/10 would recommend if you're looking for a tasty bite! Taniku definitely surpassed our expectations for a random find.

A cute little spot 2 blocks from JapanTown! There was a bit of a wait when we arrived on a Friday night it's pretty small inside but cozy. The menu had a mix of ramen, rice hand rolls, rice dons, appetizers and grilled skewers. Ordered via server, we got a mix of ramen and a few appetizers Loved the scallop hand roll, they had great quality scallops & shrimp tempura - ramens were smaller portion but delicious as well!

Beautiful hole-in-the-wall Japanese spot in the Tenderloin! Would recommend taking an Uber to the restaurant and back given the sketchy-ness of the general area. Parking at Union Sq Garage and then Ubering over is very convenient. The ramen here is insanely good and the standout for sure is the two kinds of scallops that they have (Aomori and Hokkaido). Both are succulent and sweet -- one standout in particular on their menu is the basil pesto udon with scallops! I also like the basic scallop miso ramen a lot. The dessert menu is also incredible. It's not extensive, but try the miso ice cream in particular. The best description I can give is salted caramel++! I haven't found anything like it anywhere else. If this place were located in South Bay near me I would probably go at least 2-3x a week for dinner that's how good it is!

My friend showed us this quaint place for dinner and they seated us near the door for our table of three. It was a little tight space but the interior was very cozy and decorated nicely. The staff were also kind in trying to help us get a bigger table since we were at a two person table but they were very busy and our food came out pretty fast after we ordered. Geso Karaage - Decided to try this because we hadn't tried squid karaage before and it was crunchy and light. I paired well with the sweet and creamy sauce as well as the lemon with chili powder. Hokkaido Miso - The flavor of the soup was decent, I enjoyed the flavors from the chili, pepper, garlic and the miso. The egg was perfectly soft boiled and running but the chashu meat was a little tough on the edges to bite into and there was too much cabbage. It does get packed so be prepared and we were lucky to be seated right when we went over at around 7 on a Thursday. A cute place to check out for some ramen and if you're in the Polk area..

===TL;DR=== - Kobe skewers - Pork cheek skewers - Agedashi tofu - Karaage - Spicy miso crab ramen - Niku ramen ===TMI=== Didn't get the hype of this place. I thought their ramens were standard. If anything, I enjoyed their skewers and sides more. Pork cheek skewer was fantastic, just the right amount of chewy and bounciness. The agedashi tofu was splendid. Ramen tastes fine in the beginning but didn't build as well as I thought it would.. the spicy miso was not spicy and kind of bland for me. Shall space and parking is on a main street so it's best to arrive early to look for parking. Might have a queue at the door.

This little restaurant definitely cannot be missed with how long the wait for this restaurant had outside the door! What caught our eye about this place was the unique menu alongside the appetizer options. The food was very tasty and unique and we were left extremely full! A fun little spot to try with friends if you're looking for something a little different :) The restaurant is extremely small so definitely expect a wait if you want to dine during dinner time. There's limited street parking around as well.

Service was fast. Great selections of appetizers, kushiyaki and seasonal drinks. I didn't try ramen or donburi but will definitely be back to try those!

Arrived Friday night at 8ish. Only 15min wait. Small but cozy place. GREAT music, all the oldies I love. Service was great, might take a few minutes because there are only 2 for all the tables. Food was pretty fast. I had the Geso Karaage to start. Really good, well seasoned and crispy. Garlic Pork ramen was so good. Thick pork portions, soft egg and that black garlic.. yumm! Arrives HOT, be careful. The yuzu lemonade was more on the sweet side. I prefer acidity in a lemonade but I appreciated the use of real lemon. To finish, the Hojicha Panna Cotta. Creamy but not greasy, nice flavor. I needed something to cut through the beautiful fat of the cream like powdered Hojicha on top. That's my only observation. Solid spot for ramen. Recommended!

We were looking for a dinner spot after fleet week festivities and randomly decided to come to Taniku Izakaya. We were seated without any wait at 5pm, but there were only a couple open tables by that time. Seems to be a popular spot, so I'd make sure to come early if you don't want to have a wait. Luckily, we had about 30 minutes to order from their HH menu, which was worth it! The house cold sake for $3 is a steal, and the ramen is discounted by $5. All the skewers we got were super good, tender and juicy with the perfect amount of char and seasoning. My favorite was the pork belly skewer, with the kobe beef coming in at a close second. The miso cod was sooo delicious with crispy skin and perfectly buttery fish. Scallop miso ramen was insanely good as well with a really nice broth, tender grilled scallops, and bouncy noodles. Katsu curry don was solid too, the katsu was super crispy and juicy. Our waitress was also great, she was attentive and gave good recs. Literally no bad bites, one of my fav meals in the city recently. I will definitely be back for the happy hour and to try more of their menu out!

I'll start off with the good: The wait staff are great. Good service, very friendly and polite. Out of all the foods we tried, the kobe beef skewers were the best. They were fresh, tender and cooked or grilled just right. They had a mild sauce but they didn't really need anything as the beef itself was good. The rest was just ok. The place is very tiny so we had to wait outside for about 25 minutes at about 6 pm on a Friday. So we were pretty hungry by the time we got to get seated and looking forward to some hearty ramen. Our waitress gave some recommendations so we ordered everything she recommended. They were ok. Not a lot of flavors. Pretty bland besides salt and pepper. The meh stuff: Blackened cod: It was 2 tiny pieces for $17. Not worth the price. The flavor was ok. The sauce and fish roe helped and the fish tasted fresh. Pepper chicken: this was pretty mediocre. Tasted like chicken strips covered with avery salty soy sauce. Bland . Spicy miso crab ramen. We thought this would be very flavorful as the waitress told us with the pork chashu and crab. I love crab but hated the taste of these deep fried crab legs (you get 2) and after a taste I put it aside. My husband took a bit of the crab and made a face, and he's not a picky eater. As far as the rest of the ramen, the noodles were cooked just right, not too toothy or over cooked. The broth wasn't too spicy. But also didn't have much flavor. I've never had bland ramen before but even tho the chashu was pretty fatty, other than the saltiness and fattiness of the pork flavor, the ramen lacked depth of flavor. I really wanted to like it but it was one of the blandest ramen I've ever had. Also other than a sprinkling of arugula it had no other veggies.

This small hole in the wall restaurant is so cute! Absolutely loved the quirky vibes inside, it felt like we had really found a gem hole in the wall spot in Japan. The menu is heavy on scallops which I absolutely loved, the scallop carpaccio appetizer they have is so delicious and fresh! Also the hand roll was so tasty! They've got a great happy hour deal that I want to try out later for their hand rolls in the future. The ramen however fell slightly short of expectations, although they are meant to be known for that and the don was made with brown rice which I personally love but did overwhelm the taste of the fish. The front door on this place does not automatically close which was a huge pain as we had to keep getting up to force it shut as there wasn't anyone on the team keeping an eye out for it. Whenever anyone would come In and out of the restaurant we personally had to get up else we'd be directly receiving gusts of cold wind as we were seated by the door. Overall cute for a fun date night!

Cute small izakaya with cozy ambiance and friendly service! Good spot for chatting since the noise level isn't too loud. Got here on a Wednesday at 7:30 and there was a short line but it moved really quick! We ordered the tater tots, pumpkin croquette, agedashi tofu, squid karaage, chicken skewers, and softshell crab ramen. All were good, but my favorites were the agedashi tofu, squid karaage, and chicken skewers. Would also definitely recommend giving the softshell crab ramen a try! It's very unique and flavorful. We also got sake, which was great! The prices here are reasonable and it was fantastic ambiance all around.

Location; small interior, has some street parking directly across the restaurant. Ambiance: relatively casual! Smaller tables. Food: Really good especially the raw appetizers. The hamachi carpaccio was excellent. The chicken skewer was great, tender, juicy Though I don't know if the portion is enough for the price. Happy hour seems very worth it though? Drinks: we are broke post-grads and did not order any .. maybe next time:)

Cozy hole-in-the-wall with cute decor and a lively ambience. Seating is limited, suitable for small groups of 2-4 people.  We got in and out in no time with a light dinner and speedy service.  *Hotate carpaccio: Yummy yuzu ponzu sauce didn't cover up the fishy taste of the scallops. *Ba-Ra (Garlic Pork Belly): One skewer was melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the other was tough to chew. Despite the inconsistent texture, I loved the seasoning and char! I'd come back again to try their ramen :)

5/5 for their happy hour menu! $15 for good ramen and $6 for drinks is such a good deal! I had their miso crab ramen and it was delicious - the broth was flavorful and the soft shell crab was great. It also comes with a couple pieces of chasiu! My boyfriend got the tonkatsu curry donburi (also part of the HH menu) which was also tasty - we just wished there was more curry. I also loved my $6 yuzu beer! The only downside is that the HH window is small (5-5:30) and the restaurant is small.

First thing to note, the restaurant itself is very small. You will not be seated until your whole party has arrived. All parties that are waiting to be seated must wait outside, so bring your SF layers!!! We came on a Tuesday and had to wait about 15mins to get seated. Luckily they were able to accommodate our group of 5 on the high tables. We ordered a some of the skewers, a couple appetizers and the hand rolls from their holiday menu. The hand rolls were a great price for $5 however they were drowned in sauce which unfortunately masked a lot of the fish. $5 for a hand roll with 3 scallops is hard to pass though. The skewers are really the star of the show. Our favorite skewer was the yuzu chicken. I'd recommend doing an assortment of appetizers and skewers. They do have a lot of ramens on their menu however we had heard from friends that the ramen was mid. I'll be coming back to try a ramen for myself since they have some very unique ramen variations I have not seen elsewhere. Service was okay. The servers were super nice but they missed one of our items when we initially ordered. I had to ask twice for a refill of my hot water before it was brought out. Food also came out pretty slow which doesn't help with the wait times for tables. Food was delicious though so minus 1 star for service.

Went for their happy hour (4:30-6pm) with some friends on Friday! We were kind of sad why main entrees were on HH menu but not the apps The restaurant is best for less than 5 ppl + recommend getting there a bit earlier if u want to make it in time for hh since it fills up. Tried their soft shell crab miso ramen for $15 (used to be $13) and friends got kombucha squash croquette as an app. They had some unique miso ramen options like scallop. Unfortunately, the broth didn't have much depth of pork flavor, predominantly just salty with a basic miso so that was a bit bland. Noodles were standard. The accompaniments were pretty good! I didn't like the arugula in my ramen but the ajitsuke tamago was perfectly jammy and pork belly was thick + toasted. The croquette was tasty and had a nice crunch according to my friends. Service was pretty good! They messed up my friends' order but did rectify by providing a replacement ramen that took awhile. They came and fill our water glasses when asked. The restaurant itself was pretty cute with japanese displays and did feel homey as izakaya should be. Overall, Taniku didn't really stand out as a ramen place with so many amazing ramen spots around SF. Might come back to try more izakaya items like skewers etc but tbh the location is not the best area near van ness and parking is challenging so probably unlikely soon. Food: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Value: 4/5

This was the first dinner I had when I was in town and it couldn't have gone any better! Shared this meal with a colleague and we both loved our dishes! I of course went with one of their ramens with some yuzu to drink while my buddy went with some suchi. Everything was just so satisfying! The ramen was thick and rich and not greasy at all! The place is small but intimate and well organized. I loved the decorations they had on the wall (shown in picture). The service was friendly and speedy! A great ramen shop that shouldn't be overlooked by anyone wondering what they should grab for dinner on any given night!

Ramen was one of the best we've had! We loved that the ambience made it feel like we were in Japan! The food was really authentic, and the people were prompt and friendly!

At first I learned about Taniku Izakaya from an Instagram post sharing about their Happy Hour prices. Upon further inspection, I noticed that this restaurant boasted a rating of 4.9 on Google Reviews and 4.8 on Yelp... and then I really thought I was setting myself up with expectations that were too high. While the Happy Hour offerings seem great, we noted that the normal prices are pretty good for an izakaya in SF too - about ~$20 a dish, HH prices ~$15. So when our schedule for the day was a bit delayed and we missed HH (ending at 6pm) we didn't fret and came anyways. As parking typically is in SF, it was a bit tricky but not too hard to find along Geary. We noted that while the restaurant stayed full, it was just full enough that we along with other patrons didn't have to wait which was great! Upon being seated, we were kindly greeted by the waitress and offered the menu, of which so many things looked good! So our party of 3 ended up trying: Appetizers: - Karaage: meaty chicken bites - Hotate carpaccio: delicious, buttery soft and balanced scallops - Okanomiyaki potato tots: our favorite dish, the elevated tater tots with Japanese flavors were so delicious! - Kabocha Koro: a slightly sweet, very fragrant and well fried bite! Ramen: - Hokkaido miso: slightly spicy and thoroughly flavorful - Niku: rich aromatics and onion-y, garlic-y flavors - Garlic pork: simple and scrumptious tonkotsu broth, a well done classic All in all, we were very pleased by the fine details of the taste and composition of the dishes, and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. I think this restaurant does live up to its stars! I hope this place doesn't get too too popular because then I'd have to wait when I return!

I would like to first start off by saying the restaurant itself is very cute and gave very home-y vibes, which i loved. The area the restaurant is in isn't the best since it's right near the tenderloin and parking may be difficult. The food came out super quick which was nice and the service was good as well. My favorites would have to be the Niku ramen since it was extremely flavorful and the hojicha panna cotta was perfect!! The tofu and the raw scallops were great as well. Cute little date night spot!

This lil ramen spot quickly became my favorite ramen spot in San Francisco. The ramen is so well made here. The noodles are perfectly firm, the pork is so tender and delicious, the broth is perfect, and they have such a variety of types. This place is legit. They also have a variety of other amazing Japanese dishes They have the BEST service. Everyone here is so kind and always remember me when I come back. They vibe inside reminds me of places I would go to when I would visit Tokyo. This place deserves all the praise and everyone should eat here tonight

Came here late night because I wanted something warm and soupy. The staff were nice and attentive but the food just wasn't up to par. We were the only ones dining in when waiting for our food. It took some time, we were hoping that meant it was fresh because it was later in the night. Surprisingly the ramen noodles were very under cooked. Super chewy, hard, and some noodles were still stuck together. The broth was decent. I was not a fan of the batter on the karaage or the soft shell crab. It was so thick I couldn't taste the actual protein. Karaage also had no flavor and was drenched in sauce up top. I don't understand the arugula pairing with soft shell crab and spicy broth. If they cooked the noodles more I'd bump it up one star but overall I was not impressed.

Super cute and cozy izakaya which felt very similar in aesthetic to izakayas in Japan! I was initially skeptical of the location but it was actually not bad (very few people outside and nothing sketchy that I could see nearby). Two of us arrived at around 5:45p on a Sunday and we were able to be seated immediately with no wait. The food was delicious, particularly the scallops, hamachi, and the pumpkin croquettes. The only downside was the ramen, which did not taste particular special in any way and mostly was just salty. I would come back to try more skewers and appetizers though!

Attentive service! The restaurant is small so note that seating is limited and you may have to wait. It was a great happy hour - the sake was $3, and each hand roll was $2.50. The unagi and shrimp tempura hand rolls were the best! The scallop had a zesty paste on it that I wasn't the biggest fan off. However the quality of the food was fantastic- especially given the price. I would definitely recommend hitting up this spot for their happy hour!

This spot is on the smaller side so be prepared to wait in line for a bit! Staff is very sweet and the ambiance is giving authentic izakaya vibes. Their Hokkaido ramen was to die for! Also recommend getting the Kobe beef skewers! Will come back next time I'm in the area!

A small and cozy spot! We tried the okonomiyaki tater tots and hotate as appetizers. The tater tots came out piping hot and it wasn't anything too special but was yummy. I would pass on the scallops because I didn't think the burrata really paired well with the raw scallops? My friends both enjoyed their ramen. I thought the miso was solid - nothing mind-blowing. On the other hand, the niku was interesting (it tasted like gyu-don in noodle form) but a little too sweet for my palette. I got the nama-don rice bowl and the portion was a little small however I felt the price was fair! I know they have great HH deals so I'd probably come back during those hours if anything.

Located in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, Taniku Izakaya is a ramen shop that has garnered quite a buzz on social media, with many claiming it to be one of the best ramen spots in the Bay Area, rivaling those in Japan. However, my experience was a bit underwhelming given the hype. **Parking:** First off, parking in the Tenderloin is notoriously difficult. I highly recommend opting for a parking garage if you plan to drive, as street parking is sparse and can be quite stressful to find. **Ambiance and Service:** The ambiance of Taniku Izakaya is warm and inviting, typical of an izakaya with its cozy, casual setting. The service was excellent, with attentive and friendly staff who made us feel welcome throughout our meal. **Food:** We started our meal with some Kushiyaki skewers, specifically the Tori Tsukune and Kobe skewers. These were a great start - flavorful and enjoyable to snack on. They set a high expectation for the rest of the meal. For the main course, we ordered three different ramen bowls: Hokkaido Miso, Garlic Pork, and Nikki ramen. Each ramen had its own unique flavor profile: - The Hokkaido Miso had a rich and savory broth that was comforting. - The Garlic Pork offered a nice garlic kick, which was a pleasant twist. - The Niku Ramen had a balanced and subtle flavor, making it a solid choice for those who prefer a milder taste. However, despite the distinct flavors of the broths, the texture of the ramen noodles was underwhelming. They lacked the springy, chewy texture that is often the hallmark of great ramen. This was disappointing, given the high expectations set by the rave reviews on TikTok and Instagram. **Overall:** 3/5 While Taniku Izakaya has its strengths, particularly with its appetizers and excellent service, the ramen itself fell short of the hype. The noodles, which are a crucial component of any ramen dish, were not as impressive as I had hoped. For what it's worth, this spot was decent, but not extraordinary. Would I return? Maybe, but probably more for the skewers and the service than the ramen. For those in the area, it's worth a visit, but temper your expectations if you're a ramen aficionado.

Called for a pick up order... nice small restaurant.. refreshingly clean and bright. Food was nicely packaged, ingredients for Ramen a little different (wasn't sure wood like) ,but broth was delightful. Location one block from cpmc... great food... highly recommend.

With all the hype over this place, we finally tried and it was just fine but it did not wow me over. Service: pretty bad from the first impression and lack of acknowledgment from the staff for over 5 minutes when we arrived. Mind you the tables were half empty at the time and both of the staff was at the counter doing their thing. At one point they started discussing and examine 2 glasses of beer. Meanwhile not a single hello or even eye contact with us. Sadness really in a world when we all just want to be seen and heard. Even in a place where you pay for the service, I guess being seen at the door is too much to ask for. Food: We did make it in time for the happy hour but sadly I blanked and forgot to get picture of the menu. All the ramens are $15 (so $4 cheaper) and the rice bowls were also a few $$ cheaper. No discounts on the skewers. We did end up getting the ramens and the toppings were pretty good, especially the perfectly fried soft shell crab and the thick perfectly roasted pork chashu! However the miso broth and the noodles were just regular. The highlight was the beef Kobe ribeye skewer, which we devoured before I was able to take a picture! It was nicely flavored, charcoal grilled and tender. We also got the chicken yuzu skewer, which is a pass for next time. For the appetizers, definitely get the brussel sprouts!! It's nicely fried and their sauce is unique and flavorful. That was a winner!! Ambiance: once inside, it is nice and cozy. However, unless you get there early when they open, expect to wait outside in line for a while....since they're not good about acknowledging your existence.

Hole-In-the-Wall Ramen Spot in Downtown SF. Inside seating is limited but doesn't tend to be busy since it seems like a lowkey ramen place. Ordered the Niku Ramen, Black Pepper Chicken (on a sizzling platter!!), Kabocha Koro (pumpkin croquette), Tori Tsukube skewers. My boyfriend ordered the Hokkaido Miso (not pictured) but said the house favorite broth of the Niku ramen I ordered tasted better! $13 Ramen deal during Happy Hour!!!

A really great new spot in the city. While it is close to the Tenderloin, it's still in a relatively good spot that avoids the zombies. Recommend going during happy hour, which is when we went. At 4:45ish on a friday, we beat the rush. My favorite was the midori udon, I never had pesto udon with scallops the way they made it. Not too saucy, yet still very very flavorful. We had a good amount of scallops in as well in the udon. Probably one of my favorite ways to eat udon, and I love udon! The karaage was good, but the breading near the head of the squid/octopus got a bit mushy. Everything else was also good, nothing to complain about. Pricing is very fair, especially the happy hour discount. The waiters were also really quick to serve.m and made sure we always had water. The panna cotta was the best i've had. It was hojicha flavor, perfectly textured and sweet. I have a sweet tooth, so enjoyed how sweet it was.

Arrived at around 5:10 PM and waited around 30 minutes to get seated. I do not recommend going with more than 3 people as this is a small restaurant. We were a party of 3 and all had to share a tiny table. The Hokkaido miso ramen is average amongst ramen restaurants. Nothing stood out but nothing was bad. The broth was flavorful but kinda salty. Noodles were average. The chashu was crispy which I liked but it's cut too thick, I prefer thinner slices. The cabbage and mushrooms didn't have any flavor, I wish they added bean sprouts or other toppings that would soak up the flavor some more. The takoyaki isn't super worth it since it's only 5 balls for $10. It was crispy but lacked flavor. The yuzu beer tasted pretty good. Honestly at its regular price, I would say this is like a 7.5/10. But during happy hour which is everyday from 4:30 PM-6:00 PM, the ramen was only $13 and the beer was $5, which honestly in this economy and in SF is a great deal. Given the fair price point, I would give this place a solid 8/10.

This was such a great Ramen place next to the tenderloin area. The place is small and cozy with limited seats so I suggest to not go during busy hours unfortunately we just missed happy hour which had really good deals for Ramen $13. They're normal prices are $19 per Ramen. We ordered the self shell crab and was extremely impressed, the crab was a decent size and good amount of Ramen. The broth flavor was very good but concentrated but a bit salty. The chicken Kagay was also very good. They use dark meat and had big pieces. The best part about the food was that everything came out really hot. We are pretty active on Yelp, so I decided to check in and to my surprise if you check in at the restaurant, you get one free house sake of your choice ! So that was a plus.

Loved loved loved the happy hour here. Prices were fair and food was good! My friend and I came by to take advantage of their happy hour, which runs 4:30-6 pm daily. The happy hour includes both food and drinks, but we stuck to the food. Where else in the city can you get ramen and donburi for $13 these days?? We came 5:45 on a Monday evening and the restaurant wasn't crowded at all. It's a small space, so if it's full, I imagine it can get quite loud inside. We ordered an appetizer + two happy hour dishes to share: Kabocha koro ($10) - I love croquettes but have never tried one made from kabocha before, so I was super curious about this. It was fried perfectly on the outside and had a subtle sweetness inside from the kabocha Midori udon ($15 during hh) - this is an udon dish mixed with basil pesto and served with two types of scallops and mushrooms. I've never had udon with pesto before, but it was a surprisingly tasty combination. They don't skimp on the scallops either! I think I counted 5 which is a great value for the price. I thought the topping of bonito flakes was a bit weird though, since it doesn't go well with the rest of the dish Niku don ($13 during hh) - beef and onions both tasted great and went with well the rice, which also had some of the teriyaki sauces mixed in Service was amazing as well. They were very diligent about filling up our waters and checked in with us after the food came out to make sure we liked it. We stayed here chatting and slowly eating for about 2 hours and never felt rushed, which I also appreciated. We really enjoyed our meal here. I'd love to come back again sometime and try the happy hour ramen!

Takoyaki and the matcha panna cotta were TOP TIER! The ramen was also really tasty. We got garlic and Hokkaido ramen and they were both great!!

This review could've been so much higher. And it would have been *so* easy! Ordered the food at 7:02 from their website. Got a text saying my food will be ready at 7:20 (see attached pic) Arrived at restaurant at 7:16 & was told will take "6-7 minutes". I was asked if I needed cutlery. I asked for a fork. Because I had my scooter, she said she will bring the food out to me. (The space is very small). When someone finally came out to seat other people waiting for a table at 7:33, I asked about my food. She didn't seem to hear me, or ignored me. The girl being seated said she would tell her. The woman came out at 7:36 with my food. I confirmed "With extra noodles, right?" She asked if I *ordered* extra noodles & went back in to confirm. She came back out at 7:37 and said it had extra noodles. When I got home - they had given me chop sticks. ‍ Two of the 3 pieces of chasu were tender & delicious. One piece was dry and tough af. It took THIRTY FIVE MINUTES for me to get one bowl of pork ramen with $4 of extra noodles. If it would've taken that long at a table, people would've walked out. In fact, a guy who walked by asked me if we were waiting to get in. When I explained the 6 people ahead of me were waiting for tables and my food was 13 minutes late (at that moment), he thanked me and walked on. A man who arrived after me was antsy, waiting & watching through the window. I assumed he was waiting for a table. He looked frustrated and went in, and finally walked out with a take away order for 4. If I didn't have my scooter in tow, I would've done the same. The food was good, aside from the one piece of chasu. It filled my craving. But the service was terrible. They are definitely not equipped for take away orders. Also, Yelp has it wrong. They don't offer compostable take away items. Both the ramen & the broth came in plastic containers and were packaged in a plastic bag. Recyclable - yes. Compostable - nope.

My friend and I grabbed dinner here before a show last night and really enjoyed our dinner! The restaurant is small - seats probably 20 people at maximum capacity - just like an izakaya usually is! We came at 5:30 so there was no wait, but when we left at 6:30, there was one party waiting. The service was good - the wait staff is friendly and attentive. For the food, they have happy hour 4:30-6pm so we took advantage of that! The ramen and rice bowls were all $3+ cheaper so I'd consider that a good deal in the city! I had the karaage curry don which was tasty and a good amount of food. The chicken was nice and crunchy while staying moist! My friend had the hotate miso ramen and enjoyed her dish as well. $13 for scallops in your ramen is unheard of in the city! Because we had a show after, we didn't want to order too much or else we'd fall asleep, but this was definitely enough food to fill us up. We'll have to come again next time to try their other menu items! Only forewarning is if you plan on walking - I recommend taking pub trans and walking from west of here - towards Vanness and walking from that side. If you walk here from the east side, you'll walk through some pretty rough/unsafe areas.

Amazing happy hour deal! $13 for high-quality ramen -- you can't really find that anywhere else in the city. Sometimes, ramen leaves me feeling kind of gross because the broth can be too salty and oily. This Yuzu ramen was nothing like that! It had a rich, umami flavor but was very refreshing and light at the same time. The Tori Tsukune skewers is also a must-try! The minced chicken pairs so well with the yuzu-raw egg concoction. I loved the overall yuzu theme of this meal. Another plus is the free sake with Yelp check-in!

Super delicious Japanese cuisine. Very friendly and welcoming service. Cozy ambiance. Dine-in happy hour prices make this the best deal for a satisfying meal. $13 per bowl for a variety of ramen and donburi. Recommend: Katsu Curry Don (Fried pork, curry, potato, and carrot) Hotate Miso Ramen (Spicy miso broth, black garlic oil, butter, ginger, mushroom, baby bok choy, scallops, and soft egg.) Katsu was crispy and tender, sitting on a rice shelf waiting to dive into the curry gravy. Ramen broth was mildly spicy, creamy and rich, came with three scallops and was good to the last drop. Hope to be back in the future!

Food was ok ,Ordered seven items just not ramen Can see the chef is really trying , many of their items has very strong taste but no layer to it . Service was great tho . Surrounding is good too

Found this place on Yelp and gotta check it out. Because of the high reviews. The restaurant located close to the van ness. No parking around but if you take bus or app, would be much easier. The restaurant very nice and clean. The service was nice. I went there early so there were no any customers. And they have happy hour menu . And if you check in , they offer you sake also. Got 2 glasses of plum wine, both of them were very nice but the sparkling one was more flavorful. We ordered appetizers, gyoza and hamachi carpaccio. And 2 bowls of ramen. Niku ramen and Hokkaido miso. The food came , first one was the gyoza : nice and crispy, the sauce honey mustard was good, gives nice sweetness flavor. Hamachi carpaccio was my favorite, it didn't came like I expected. Usually would be a thin slice of fish but this one they cut it like sashimi, the avocado was fresh , salad and yuzu kosho ( citrus chili paste ) on the side was complete the dish. The sauce with a hint of truffle. Really great dish and would come back for that. Niku ramen : the noodles was normal. Really similar to many places. Beef was juicy nice charred on it, wish the onions were cook a little more so they are softer. The egg cooked perfectly but the broth was really light for the beef flavor. It kinda reminds me of sukiyaki but very very light. Hokkaido miso : beautiful bowl of ramen. The noodles were the same as Niku . The chashu was really nice and tender but the outside was fried, which give nice flavor, I didn't like the mushroom though , give strong aroma to the broth. Both of the ramen were decent , I will definitely go back to try other ramen on their menu. I think this place is good as the reviews, I wanna try again and probably order more of drinking food. Like yakitori and other appetizers.

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: Casual with authentic Izakaya vibes and Japanese decor Ordered the Niku Ramen, Ba Ra and Kobe skewer. The Niku was a 4/5 for me. I may have liked the miso broth more, but still good. The Ba Ra and Kobe skewers are what really elevated the experience for me. Ba Ra was so tender with great grilled flavor. Kobe was nicely medium rare and had a nice marinade. Definitely order the Ba Ra. Will come back again!

Really nice ambiance going into this small eatery along Van Ness. Mostly small tables it felt very intimate and cozy. We came at 8pm so seating was a lot easier for us, but I could imagine issues at peak traffic. I was really excited for the skewers so I tried the Tori skewer and the Kobe. I didn't end up liking the Tori, but the Kobe was delicious!!! Very juicy and tender cut of meat. For ramen I tried the Hokkaido Miso and the Niku. I liked the broth of the Niku better(it also came with a full egg vs half in the Hokkaido), but pork belly in the Hokkaido Ramen really made it stand out. Really crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had a lovely time and the service was very prompt and welcoming. Would absolutely come back to the rest of their menu.

Saw a lot of hype on Tiktok for Taniku's ramen and decided to give it a try! I ordered the spicy niku ramen and it was a hearty bowl loaded with beef. I thought it was a bit on the heavy/oily side but the flavor was great. Taniku is on the smaller side; by the time we finished dinner, there was a line out the door so get there early.

Taniku Izakaya may be small in size, but it packs a big punch when it comes to flavor. We dropped in during happy hour and were pleasantly surprised by the exquisite taste of their dishes. The traditional ramen was incredibly satisfying, paired perfectly with some beer and sake--all for a great price. The service was speedy and attentive, making the experience even better. If you're looking for authentic Japanese flavors in a cozy setting, this spot is a must-visit!

Second time I visited here, this time for dine-in. Which was taaaassty. Look at the picture, I was practically drooling waiting to eat this stuff. MmmM Accommodating service (less than 15 minutes for food when it was busy!!), cold water, tall tables, regular tables on either side of a center aisle leading from the front door to the register. They're open late & provide great food for a moderate price. I think it's worth it^2!! Tastes fresh and it fills you up easily. Try this place out!! You won't regret it!

Came back for dinner and had a karaage curry (nice and hearty, just what was needed) and chicken was not oily but still tender. The tofu is SO good, definitely recommend it. Very solid place, surprised there were not many people in here! Will be back again some time