Yatai Ramen Japanese Izakaya

I guess this Restaurant is Top 3 Most Delicious Ramen and Tempura and other sides food. The restaurant is clean and The speed at which food is served is important, and this restaurant not only serves food quickly but also has excellent decorations. I personally do not know other low rates people got suffered so that they gave low but I personally loved this restaurant.

This was hands down the worst dining experience of my life. I took one bite, and it was so disgusting I literally had to spit it out. When I asked for a refund or a replacement, the waitress had the audacity to tell me, “Apparently the chef says there’s no problem with the food.” Seriously?? What kind of nonsense is that? Since when does the chef get to tell me if the food is edible? Last I checked, the paying customer decides whether something tastes like garbage or not. The fact that they even tried to justify that mess is beyond insulting. If I could give this place a negative rating, I would. Never coming near this place again 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

I love the Ramen. I love the pork Tonkatsu. But I have a major problem with this business. I pay extra for spicy ramen, and they put the sauce in a very small container on the side. But every time I get it, it's less than half full. Sometimes it's less than 1/3rd full. Almost less than a tabelspoon. Sometimes I order Kim-chi and there is 2-4 pieces of Kim chi at all. Again less than 1/2 to 1/3 down to 1/4 of what should fit in the container. Now today I ordered a spicy ramen with sides (bamboo shoot, Kim chi, tofu, and steamed rice). I spent 33$. The hot sauce container had less than 1/10 of the container full. Less than half a tea spoon. I'm paying extra for spicy ramen and they're giving me a few drops of chili sauce? I called and complained. I digressed. I opened the rice and see it's less than a 1/4 full and I had enough. I had to leave this review. This has been happening, and it keeps getting worse. Are they trying to cut costs? How are you gonna charge me extra for spicy and an order of steamed rice and put a few drops and a spoon full in there time and time again. Why would anyone serve that to a customer? 🚫✋️😑

Great little place. Courteous staff. Great service. Nice quiet spot to eat. Did was delivered fast and delicious.

That was a deeply frustrating experience. After finishing our meal, we asked the waitress for a to-go box and packed an entire bowl of tonkatsu rice. However, as we left the restaurant, we accidentally forgot to take it with us. When we arrived at Meet Fresh nearby, we suddenly realized and immediately returned to retrieve the food. However, the waitress who had given us the box informed us that she had already thrown everything away. She had seen us pack up a full bowl of rice, so it should have been obvious that we intended to take it with us, not discard it. Common sense should tell her that if a customer packs up their food and accidentally leaves it behind, they’re likely to return for it—especially within just a few minutes. The waitress saw us pack the food and still decided to toss it so quickly makes us feel disrespected. This is completely unacceptable. I had just tipped her 20%, only for her to discard my food without a second thought!!!

Cozy place serving delicious ramen and lots of other options for non-ramen people. I got the shoyu and substituted tofu and it was delicious. Very flavorful with the thick wavy noodles. My son had the tonkatsu and he inhaled the bowl. Highly recommend!

If you are looking for a peaceful place to eat some ramen or enjoy a date, this is the place to be. Absolutely the highest caliber of food is served here in a nice quiet, beautiful setting. The service is fantastic, not pushy and not rushing you. And the food is unreal with how good it is and how generous it is. Can’t recommend them local gem enough. Will return over and over again.

I Love this cozy place! I like ramen, so I went to a lot of ramen restaurants nearby, and the ramen here was the most original and delicious. Oh also a macaron! If you ever wanna visit here, try the macaron ice cream. It is very delicious

I picked up the Miso Ramen, which is $17 which I really feel is a bit over priced. But it was good and decent ramen. Nothing I haven't before though. Sweet girls working in the restaurant. Although I just picked up the inside was very nice. Not crowded for a Friday night. My To go was packaged well. No spills.

This is a cute place hidden away that's perfect to lock eyes with your date as you slurp away delicious noodles. The broth itself is clear and yet so rich. There's a wonderful flavor burst when you slurp down the deliciously chewy ramen. We ordered quite a few appetizers and all were a hit. The portions are Texan size despite being a Japanese restaurant so be prepared to take home tasty leftovers. The only downside was there was only one server so the poor person was always running like crazy. She was always trying her hardest to bring out food to everyone but it was so busy.

I ordered de R12 Go! Vegan ramen. No flavor, the only taste I get is from eating the green onion. Noodles are plain and taste/feel cheaper than any instant ramen. As I was eating I came upon something very hard, I checked and there was a sharp piece of plastic I almost swallowed. I also ordered Edamame and asked for salt to be added, they are plain, brownish/old and without salt.

Pretty solid place if you're looking for ramen nearby. I got the spicy Tonkatsu ramen this time which I found better than their Shoyu ramen but that might just be a personal preference. The decor is cute inside. I tried to get their yelp check in deal but they said they no longer do that. Overall not bad if you're in the area.

Okonomiyaki and the ramen were splendid, a tad bit overpriced and they take their tip before handing the check. Friendly staff and cozy interior. Unpleasant smell whenever you come in and towards the back.

My son recommended this Japanese restaurant for good Ramen. We arrived on a late afternoon on a Saturday, the place was half full. My son was not too hungry so he said this restaurant sells small bowls called Mini Ramen ($8.95) we added three appetizers, (1) tempura veggies, (2) garlic edamame and (3) salmon onigiri. In addition we ordered a beef short rib plate called LA Galbi ($16.95) to share. Service was good, ambiance and decor was ok, but this was a little overpriced. I have ordered vegetable tempura at many restaurants, and I never got this little food (2 slices of sweet potato, 2 slices of zucchini, and one onion ring) for $6.95. The (grilled or pan fried) beef short rib was basically six actual small pieces of beef, each with one bone attached, on grilled onions, served on a cast iron metal plate (similar to the one they use to serve fajitas). This small plate was not very much for the price, the plate came all alone, nothing on the side. That was disappointing. We drank water. Dinner for two was $60 dollars.

The soup it is ok ... but to expensive for a small piece of meet they give you!! Don't spend your money here, and if you ask for more hot sauce or lemon you have to pay, they don't put anything in the table, like soy sauce or salt

one of the authentic broth Japanese Ramen & Izakaya in the area! Broth made from scratch was very refreshing and flavorful, noodle was cooked just right! And izakaya menus were also very tasty! ( I personally recommend agedashi tofu and whole squid!

Stopped by and tried this place we saw in a shopping center. Ordered the food to go. I ordered some ramen and my partner order pork katsu. The ramen wasn't the typical ramen I'm used to. The noodles were much thinner. The broth was ok but not very spicy even with the pepper sauce added. The staff was very friendly and the wait time wasn't bad. The pork katsu my partner said lacked flavor also and they didn't even finish it. I'm not sure if I would return. I wouldn't order the ramen again but the meat in my ramen wasn't bad on flavor so maybe if I return I'll just try rice or something else from them.

Areeba and I walked in here on a Sunday morning on a whim, and it was a pleasant surprise. The vibes are immaculate and the food is pretty decent. It was the perfect tucked into a corner ramen shop vibe. I'd rate it 7 s/10. ------------ Unfortunately they only have one veggie ramen option, but it did taste pretty decent (8/10). We added a soy sauce egg to it along with spicy sauce and it really pulled it together nicely. We also had the shrimp fried dumplings. I've never had these before and they were delicious fried balls of goodness (9/10). The main reason I rated this place down was the lack of several veggie options, but what we had was pretty good. Price: both things total was $27 ish

Came here on a cold day and it hit the spot. = Tonkatsu broth was tasty, but could have used more noodlesand chasu was probably the thinnest I've ever had + Soft shell crab was good + Okonomiyaki was tasty = Salmon and ume Onigiris we're good Only downside was that it was so busy that they didn't pass my water refill test.

My favorite thing about this place is the mini ramen size ($8)! I like the Sapporo style noodles but not the Hakata style. My mini ramen came with 1 piece of chashu, but we were disappointed that the regular size ($14) also only came with 1 piece of chashu (but did get an egg that the mini didn't get). Fried squid ($9) ws yummy. It hit the spot, and I would come back again next time I'm already in the area.

Had dinner here in a Saturday night. The weather had us craving Ramen. This place delivered on both flavor and service. Will continue to come here. I highly recommend the Kimchi Bacon Ramen and garlic edamame.

This restaurant is located in a nice area near an Asian grocery market and some bakeries. The ambience is nice and it's got a handful of tables for seating. We got ramen and I ordered takoyaki as an appetizer. The spicy ramen was pretty good (the spice makes it so flavorful) and the takoyaki was excellent. Like most ramen places you can add additional toppings to your ramen. They give a good amount of food so definitely come hungry!

I ordered the vegan ramen, and it was decent although the noodles came undercooked and the broth was basically pure salt and no spice or flavorings. The toppings were very tasty and arranged in picture-worthy condition. Service was excellent, we had a main waitress, but another brought our food while another wished us a good day when we left.

Plano makes me feel right at home, with more and more authentic Japanese eats popping up every month. Head here after taking your mom shopping at the Asian grocery next door. We shared a round (or two, three, four?) of gyoza dumplings to start. It's really hard to mess up ramen at a joint like this, and I must say their tonkatsu broth was on point. Split around a dessert mochi to cool you down.

It's a great family restaurant! If you have little kids and don't want to cook for dinner then this would be a great option. They have a large selection on all Japanese food items from ramen to entrees. Given that they don't focus just on ramen, I wouldn't recommend this place if someone would ask me for a good ramen place. As the broth was a little watery and salty and the noodles were just the plain egg noddles. We had their ika, chicken curry, tonkutso ramen and house salad. It took a little while for our food to come out as they got many to go order online. Even though the dining room was not very busy (maybe 1-2 other guests next to our party of 5). But we have seen many customers coming in and out to pick up their to go order. Thankful I didn't have to cook and everyone got the food that they usually like! A decent family restaurant with good pricing!

Delicious food and wonderful service. There were a few other Tables but we got our food pretty quickly. Husband loved the okonomiyaki. Fried chicken was good but paired with tartar sauce was a bit weird. Soft shell crab was perfectly flaky and soft on the inside. We also tried the small tonkotsu ramen. The texture of the noodles were amazing. Chashu and eggg were on point as well

It is kinda hit or miss. I have had good food much nothing really special. One time the restaurant was full of mosquitoes and I was bitten at my seat several times. I mentioned it to staff and they ignored it it was really off putting

this place is ok. Came in here on a Saturday with my mom and checked into yelp for free edamame appetizer to start. There was a steady stream of customers during lunchtime, but it wasn't packed. the place is nice and convenient. the servers nice and attentive. However, the ramen is sort of standard and boring. I wasn't really impressed with the broth or noodles. nothing to get excited about. they have a nice selection of sesame, hot oil and pepper flakes at the table, but would have liked some fresh garlic. I wouldn't come here unless i was really desperate for noodle soup and no where else nearby was open. :/ #fattypatty not impressed...

This place was so good. My friend and I split the shasito peppers sprinked with parm, a tea pot of green tea and we both got the spicy chicken ramen. I would definitely come back, the ambience was chill - not fancy but not fast casual either. Service was excellent.

First time I've been to a ramen spot in Plano. Was excited to try it out but disappointed in the Quality and slooow Service. The Food - Shrimp tempura and the Pork Gyoza, was flavorless (0 Flavor, even the dipping sauce didn't help). Servers were avoiding our area like we had a 4 legged monkey sitting on the table. Unless Jesus calls and tells me it taste better now, I probably won't be going back..

This used to be my go to ramen place, I always loved everything and anything that I ordered. However this last time I went everything was BLAND and salty and on top of that they've started charging extra for things that used to be free, like making the ramen spicier. I had ordered their new kimchi bacon ramen, Kimchi something that's so full of flavor and spicy tasted so bland. The only thing i enjoyed was the pork, that never fails to disappoint (hence where the 3 stars is coming from), it's so soft and just melts in your mouth. I could eat 30 of them if given the chance! I don't know yet if I'll be back. I'm hoping this experience was just a blip and the staff was having an off day. When I'm back in town I'll give it another go. On a side note, this place does have a GREAT lunch special that's worth the $$$. You get an app, ramen and salad for around 10 dollars and it fills you up!

This is where I'll go when I crave authentic Japanese food. We tried their tonkotsu, karrage, and galbi, all of which were delicious. Even the ramen was solid! Karrage and galbi were juicy and flavorful and freshly made. We went on a weekend but the weekday lunch menu price seems to be a steal for the quality! There're also many yummy dessert shops in the same strip (Mecca matcha, Meet Fresh). I'd be here all the time if I worked/lived in the area.

Solid izakaya experience close to home! First off, let me say that the okonomiyaki was excellent. I wish I snapped a picture, but my wife and I devoured it on sight. It's not your typical junky cabbage pancake drenched in mayo. Instead it was wonderfully balanced, savory, and lightly dressed with mayo. My only complaint was the size of the cabbage chunks. Not very Japanese. The Tonkotsu Ramen was good, but not out of this world. It's on par with typical izakaya ramen in Japan, but there are a few better spots around town that deliver the premium ramen experience. In general, I think broth was a little too lightly flavored and the ginger pieces were sometimes overpowering. Eggs were a little overcooked and under-marinated for my taste, but I'm an egg guy. Definitely a great vibe, and an easy dinner spot.

I really like yatai for it's consistent ramen at a decent price point that is close to me. They have really tasty broth and the vibe inside in immaculate. A close one to my heart.

It's been awhile since I last had a ramen bowl so sure enough I find myself Yelping for a good place to have one. Browsing through the reviews I've seen a few Yelpers mentioned curry ramen and I thought to myself I've never had it before. So, here I am drooling over a picture and can't wait to drive my always hungry self to Yatai Ramen Izakaya. It was 4pm and the place is quite busy. I was seated and told the girl right away what I wanted. As soon as my bowl of ramen is placed on my table, the smell of Japanese curry has hit my senses. It's very aromatic and I just can't wait to dig in. The ramen itself is topped with boiled egg, shrimp tempura, corn, and slices of pork belly. The flavor is so wonderful and I thought to myself how come I never ordered Curry Ramen before. The broth is rich and coats the al dente ramen noodles perfectly. Although I've never been to Japan but this place looks like a small ramen shop taken right out from it. The decor, the greeting when you come in and just the ambience. They serve you efficiently and with a smile. I can't wait to go back when the weather is more fitting for some more ramen.

Best/one of the only hakata ramen options I've gotten to visit in the area. 3 stars if I had this in SoCal, but +1 for being in this hakata ramen desert. This by far beats all the garden-variety "trendy modern take on a Japanese staple" fusion ramen options poppin' up in Dallas like rabbit babies. (As if ramen needed to be "modernized" or Americanized in the first place.) From the "いらっしゃいませ" (irasshaimase / welcome) you hear from everyone when you walk in the door to the "ありがとうございました" (arigatou gozaimashita / thank you), the experience is a great tribute to the art of Japanese ramen. Yatai offers both hakata and sapporo styles, with recommended types of noodles for each of the different broths it serves. The four big styles of ramen are shoyu (soy sauce), miso (soybean paste), shio (salt), and tonkatsu (pork). Didn't see shio, but the menu does include many many other options, including tsukemen (noodles that you dip into broth), some experimental stuff like the kimchi bacon one, and lots of non-ramen options, too! There's also a vegan option, so I'll never feel guilty for not being able to invite my vegetarian/vegan friends again. \\ spicy tonkatsu - i don't usually get spicy from a place for my first visit because it distracts me from savoring the broth but it worked out - just the right level of spice for me, but my sister found it too strong - bowl was big enough for the two of us to share - don't drink the soup!! it's salty on purpose to flavor the noodles - bamboo shoots and ginger and seaweed and egg and so many slices of pork! this is so so right up my alley, more so than the hokkaido butter and corn sapporo ramen... - stellar but i might get non-spicy next time \\ shoyu - smoky accents in the fantastic deep shoyu broth - comes with sapporo noodles by default, which seems quite appropriate given the nature of the broth (you need resilient noodles to take on the strong broth) yay - lots of parking - great plaza with dessert options next door for round two and three and four - fantastic service - check in on yelp for free edamame - reasonable price of less than $10 per bowl, pre-tax (unlike other places hoping to cash in on the "trend") I'm fed up with places downtown that are so greasy and "fusioned." Even if this place isn't Japanese-owned, seems like a place I'll be able to trust with my ramen craves. This is it, y'all.

Been coming here for years! Wonderful place with great prices, delicious food, and one of the only restaurants with MINI RAMEN! My wife loves it because it's a perfect serving size along with one of their lovely appetizers. BIG recommend!

The waitress was very friendly and the food was delicious. Although it took some of our meals a little bit of time to be brought out, we could tell it was all fresh and made to be served hot! It was all delicious and I look forward to returning to try a different dish.

I really enjoyed this place. It has a nice ambience, some place I imagine would be great to eat at on New Year's Eve. We had the vegan ramen, chicken fried rice, and some appetizers. I thought the food was delicious, but the tofu is amazing. They do a great job getting the outside crispy while keeping the inside soft. I only gave it 4 stars because our server wasn't knowledgeable on what "mixed mushrooms" were in the ramen, but the staff was friendly. This is my new go-to ramen place.

My husband ordered the spicy tonkatsu ramen, and I ordered spicy miso ramen. We didn't want chashu but were told they only sub it for chicken or 2 pieces of fried tofu. We opted for the tofu. We also ordered takoyaki and ebi tempura. Overall, the food were decent. I was very pleased with how the Sapporo (thicker) noodles were cooked and the broth. Takoyaki was definitely great and not flooded with sauce. Ebi tempura crispy and not soggy, paired well with our ramen. Everyone was pleasant yesterday except the one dude that took our order. Definitely will return!

I ordered delivery from here for lunch today for my brother and myself. We got the Katsu Curry Rice and Chashu Fried Rice. The Katsu Curry was pretty flavorful and well cooked--no complaints there. However, the Chashu Rice was not really what I expected. I thought it would be pieces of Chashu pork over a bed of fried rice, but the Chashu was actually broken into very small pieces and fried into the rice. It was still good, but there was this smokey flavor that was kind of overpowering for the dish. It wasn't too bad though, and I was still able to enjoy it. If I come back here again, I probably wouldn't get the Chashu Fried Rice again, but just because the flavor was not to my personal preference. I would definitely recommend the Katsu Curry though!

Although I'm not Japanese, ramen is no stranger to me. Every now and then I fix myself some quick ramen at home when hunger strikes late at night. I especially like the small packet of seasoning that instantly transforms the stringy, chewy noodles into a delightful snack. It's good to see a ramen noodle place added to the lineup of Asian cuisines in the area, which is still growing. The restaurant is not too big. But when you walk in, you get a feel of ethnicity: the Japanese lamps, the wooden partitions, the open kitchen/serving area, arrays of bottle rice wine, etc. We ordered the popular spicy ramen. The broth was so rich and flavorful. You may find it on the saltier side. But it was just right for me because I like it strong. The pork slices were yummy also - very tender with a nice smoky flavor. But there were only two thin slices, barely enough for me. I wish there were three or more. The spicy level was a little bit lame. Overall, it was really good. We also ordered some fried chicken nuggets, which were chunky and lightly breaded. Nothing Japanese in particular, but the flavor was good. The portion was more than we expected. We later ordered a bowl of rice to go with it. Delicious! The menu is just an over-sized double-sided sheet, but it's packed with savory items. I'm sure we'll come back to try some other items.

I love the decor of the place and they have excellent food as well! I've had their ramen for lunch and it's such a good deal for $12!!! During my last visit I decided to order non-ramen items. I ordered the grilled smelt fish and sardines and found them to be decent - the smelt fish seemed a bit soggy and I wished the sardine skin was a bit crunchier. The fish cake soup (nabe oden) was amazing though! I definitely recommend it! It was super hearty and had a rich, tasty broth! Yum! My girlfriend ordered the chicken karaage and galbi beef ribs and she found them to be pretty good. The galbi was a bit chewy for her though and the fat to meat ratio was a bit high. They have other things on the menu that I would love to try out, so I will definitely come back!

Good but only one piece of pork. Nice staff. Good ambiance inside. Nothing stand out. A little higher priced

Having late dinner here with Wifey. My first time here. I ordered Tonkatsu Ramen. The Ramen they used is called Sapporo Noodles with two pieces of meat, tasted like pork. Nothing fancy taste just a regular ramen. My wife ordered Shoyu Ramen. Her's taste salty and did not taste like Shoyu Ramen. Small serving for the pricey menu. They should have used a smaller bowl that would easily fit all the ingredients and ramen noodles. They used a large bowl to pretend that their servings are big. Serving staff are courteous and helpful. This ramen place is quiet, but due to their loud piped-in music, it makes this place like a club. Since it was late, maybe the manager left and the staff put up the audio louder than it should be. TIP: Only Water is free. Green tea is $2 per person. Their ramen is over rated.

Good service, good food, never disappoints. Place is small with not too many tables, but very nicely decorated. Service is always good and fast. I think my family and I have tried all ramens, but their Tan Tan Men and Spicy Miso Ramen are our favorites. Chashu buns, edamames, and katsu curry are also very good. Overall, good price, good service and good food.

My husband and I stopped in during happy hour but we weren't too big of a fan of the bento box ideas (though it seemed like a good idea for other people); we sorta wished there was a deal for ramen during happy hour! Because... why not Yatai RAMEN Izakaya?? I suppose it's their way of promoting other dishes on their menu! I loved my ramen bowl that I ordered though - everything about it absolutely hit the nail on the head for me. The whole bowl was filling and it was definitely cooked with lots of love. We also had a side of edamame because we used Yelp's check-in feature - UM that was yummy! Our waitress was also very accommodating and friendly. If we're ever in Texas again, we are sure to stop by!

Ordered Tan Tan Men and Tonkotsu Ramen. Tan Tan Men was very underwhelming. It said spicy and it wasn't at all. Bok Choy had no flavor. And the broth was pretty average. My girlfriend really enjoyed her bowl and for good reason. The pork was so succulent and had this Smokey flavor. The broth took in the pork flavor perfectly and wasn't too little like the tan tan men but not overbearing like other places. I wanna visit again and get the spicy tonkotsu so hopefully I can add a much better review soon

Food is ok,but waitress is cold and slowly. We a little bit disappointed. ...¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food is just alright. Not terrible, but didn't leave me excited. We got the oden, chasu chahan, and vegetable tempura. Oden is literally made from the JFC frozen oden pack you can get at the Japanese market, plus 3 pieces of konnyaku and one hard boiled egg. Well, I guess I'm paying them to heat it up for me. It would've also been nice if they added a piece of daikon. ALL oden needs to have daikon! Granted, daikon is not in season during the summer, so maybe that's why they omitted it, but it also seemed wrong to not have daikon in my oden! Chashu Chahan was probably the best item, full of pork fat flavor! Unfortunately the rice was just a tad bit wet, and they used frozen veggie mix consisting of string beans and large pieces of carrots, which in my opinion just doesn't fit (sorry, just being picky here...) I think I am accustomed to chashu chahan with onions, corn, and egg. Vegetable tempura was severely over-battered. By the end I was desperately trying to peel off the batter to salvage the dish. Also, the only veggies they had was murasaki imo (japanese yam), kabocha, and sweet potato. While I love my starchy veggies, I was looking forward to some other veggies like eggplant (nasu), broccoli, or shiitake in my vegetable tempura. Oh well. That being said, we ate most of the food. *shrug* Perhaps some of their other items on the menu may be more exciting.

I was super bummed out by this place. Based on the reviews I was expecting more, but what a downer. The food was mediocre and the service was just as underwhelming. I'm not sure why there are so many 4 star reviews. We ordered the strawberry lemonade, but when we got the bottle to pour it ourselves it was "sugar free" and wasn't very good. It would have been nice to know it was sugar free so we could have ordered something else. :/ We got katsu curry rice and it was mediocre. The curry was not on point at all and the katsu didn't taste like pork. We also ordered karage, potato croquettes, takoyaki and cheese corn. All very average. I'm used to Curry House or Coco Ichibanya in So CAL. So perhaps I'm being a snob, but you need to have standards. If you are used to good curry, I would suggest you keep looking.

Service was decent and food came out fast. I ordered everything on the menu except for their ramen. I'd say overall a 3.5, but I'll bump it to a 4 for having some dishes that met my expectations. To start with, this is the only place I've found in which their okonomiyaki met my expectations. Good amount of cabbage and no excessive batter. Their sukiyaki was good, did not skimp on any ingredient. Thw skewers were decent, not too heavy on sauce, evenly charred when necessary. The grilled octopus tasted good, but the cut size was way too big for my liking. Their curry was ok, kind of watered down and bland. Overall I was not amazed, but nor was I disappointed. It was just a very normal meal. I probably may not return again unless I am really craving the okonomiyaki. The other things like ramen, skewer, octopus, I've had better at other restaurants

One of a few restraurants that is open til midnight so don't be suprised to find yourself waiting to be seated. Compared to other ramen places I've been to, there is wayyy more options! Not only is there hella options, there are options within options. For example, some ramens are able to be ordered hot, cold, or dry and of course, spicy. Nothing that was ordered lack flavor. Don't be afraid to have adventurous tastebuds when ordering!

I've been here a few times and really like it. The Tonkotsu Ramen is delicious. It's all about the broth, and this place does it really well. My one complaint is that the pork always seems to be burnt on the edges (not seared, but burnt). It's not a big deal, but just something I've noticed. The appetizers are terrific! I've had the fried squid and the oysters (chopped) in wasabi and it is a must try if you are a fan of raw oysters (see my pic). The service this last time was a bit lack-luster. They were busy, so once we got our food it felt like we were on our own. Everyone there was very pleasant and they shout pleasantries at you when you walk in and out. Also, check out their hours before you go. They are closed for a few hours in the mid afternoon.

I truly wanted to love the restaurant since ramen is one of our passions! The Japanese lanterns decoration gave the place a great ambience! We came for dinner one night and the place was quite crowded. There was no line but still good business. It looked like the restaurant was understaffed so it took a while before we received any kind of service. Completely understandable since this can happen anywhere. However, the ramen itself was just mediocre. The noodle texture was fine but the broth lacks flavor and was quite bland. The broth is one of the most important components of ramen so that completely ruined the experience for me. The tempura was nothing impressive either. It was something that anyone could have made at home. Overall, the quality of food was not bad but it was not great either.

What was once a dead plaza for over a decade is now an up and coming one with a bunch of new places (Kung Fu Tea, Boiling Wok, Snowflake Cafe, etc.) that have occupied the spaces. Yatai Ramen Izakaya is a fairly new addition to the Coit & Park area and a rather mediocre one at that. I really love the izakaya concept because I enjoy the tapas style dishes that are typically offered - takoyaki, edamame, karaage, etc. While the menu here is impressive, the dishes we ordered were a bit lackluster. The tori karaage is a common salty boneless fried chicken dish that is pretty hard to screw up. While Yatai's version wasn't terrible, it also wasn't enjoyable. While the chicken itself was tender, it wasn't juicy enough and was definitely missing that crunch and flavor. The dipping sauce on the side was just some sort of kewpie mayo from a container I'm sure. The takoyaki was pretty average. I wouldn't get it again because I've had takoyaki at a lot of places and Yatai's version ranks pretty low. It was pretty inconsistent because some pieces had a good amount of octopus while others were lacking. I opted for the tsukemen (dipping ramen). Typically the broth for tsukemen has to be rich, rich, rich in flavor because you are just dipping the ramen noodles and not sipping on the bowl of soup. The broth here is very "meh." I really hate to compare...but the entire time I was eating it I was wishing we were at Wabi House instead. The plate of ramen noodles and toppings were cold. I liked none of the toppings. The chashu was terrible...not only was it cold but it had no flavor and a terrible texture. The egg was a small, cold piece of crap (for lack of a better word) that seemed like it had been sitting out for awhile. I thought the chashu and egg were cold but the menma (bamboo) was fresh-out-the-fridge cold AND it was salty. My friend ordered the curry udon and didn't like it although he admits it is most likely due to a preference thing in which he realized he didn't like the combination of udon with Japanese curry. Overall, I'm glad I tried this place...so I know to never come back.

It tasted very bland. The presentation is the reason for the second star. I wish it tasted better, but unfortunately everything has pork in it, which isn't even a vegan option