Well my review is not based on food or ambience, but rather service. I went here for a gift certificate for a friend of mine and well, sadly they do not sell them. Why?!?! Lol Anyhow, while we did not get what we wanted the treatment was fantastic, energy inside looked good and the food at a distance looked scrumptious. Next visit where I have time to sit I'll post some pictures, but for now know easy parking and located in the heart of pasadena. Enjoy folks! read more

Sat at the counter and shared a large bowl with my husband. The ramen was fantastic (medium-spice broth). Fantastic! We also got a side of goyza and a side of the chicken. The goyza was so-so - not bad, but nothing special. However the chiken was flipping amazing! We do not like deep fried anything, so to get a place with baked chicken was great - the spice blend was PERFECT to go along with our ramen. The lines can be long to get in (wish they had a call-ahead waitlist), but if you are willing to sit at the counter the wait can be shorter. Anyone who likes ramen should definitly check this place out! read more

This is my second time trying this place and can say this is my all time favorite ramen place in the area. Starting with the appetizers the garlic shrimp is simply a must get. The tatsunoya roll was interesting, it's basically cha shu wrapped into a roll with rice and mayo. Worth a try! For the ramen I feel you can't really go wrong with any of the three choices. I went with the Jun Tonkotsu and it was creamy yet had a very clean authentic flavor. One perk about this ramen joint compared to other places was is that the ramen is served blazing hot (temperature wise). The broth is done right and is blasted with flavor. Don't forget to get the extra soft egg, it doesn't come with but is totally worth it. Come check this spot out! There a line out the door occasionally and all members in the party much be present to be seated but turnaround is quite fast. read more

See all

Delicious and traditional ramen. I recommend either getting the standard portion of the rich broth tonkotsu, and adding the thick noodles once you've finished the first portion, or getting the rich broth with extra chashu pork (which is incredible). Staff are very friendly and attentive, prices are extremely fair given the location, and quality and taste are always of the highest caliber. This spot is truly a gem. read more

Customer service - 5/5 Friendliness of staff 5/5 Speed of service: 4/5 Food quality 5/5 Value of Money 4/5 Cleanliness of restaurant: 4/5 Restaurant decor: 4/5 Ramen Tatsunoya is a great place for small and causal dining. We ordered the Koku Tonkotsu (Rich broth) and Jun Tonkotsu (Light original mild broth). KAEDAMA is refill noodles and perfect for big appetite if you feel that your first bowl is not enough and want more! The thin Ramen is my favorite and definitely cook to perfection! Very simple menu and would definitely come back for lunch again. Old Pasadena area in Los Angeles has so much to offer with so many variety of restaurants to choose from! read more

See all

After passing by couples of times and wanting to try it out. My son and I decided to eat here for early dinner. There were decent amount line, of course on weekends, expected for popular restaurants. We waited about 15 minutes not too bad, because we sat at a bar stool table in the center instead of booth tables. The restaurant was crowded with busy chefs, waitresses and customers enjoying and slurping their ramen noodles. The restaurant had a good Vive. Food came out fairly quickly with good size of chasu pork slices and side of bean sprouts. Broth was flavorful but I would of liked it more if the broth was little more warmer. I like my soup hot. My son had the special of the month ( middle of August to end of August special) He seems to enjoy it. It was separate noodles and sauce for dipping style. He liked it but tiny bit salty for sauce. Overall we enjoyed it. Service was excellent!!! Very friendly and attentive:) read more

See all

This was my first experience with ramen and it's still my all time favorite. Located on Fairoaks in Pasadena just above Colorado with a large parking garage right next door. Its a popular place but well worth the wait. Everything is flavorful and freshly made but my go to is the rich Koku. Dont forget to get a second helping of noodles before you finish that wonderful broth! read more

For the past 7 or so years, whenever driving past this place, there was always a line out the door. A couple weeks ago, I brought some friends from out of town here and when I took my first slurp, first chashu bite, I immediately understood why. The chashu was delectably tender, the broth so smooth, the spice, just right. I'm making me want more as I type this review! One thing that stood out after eating the entire bowl, including the broth, is I didn't feel super bloated like I just downed 5 beers. Which is a likely indicator of high quality ingredients? This is, hands down, the best ramen joint in SoCal I've ever been to. If you're in the mood for ramen--exceptionally good ramen--get your a$$ in one of their seats and order already!! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku Extea Chashu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

My family would always enjoy coming here to have ramen, and this is probably their favorite place! We haven't had this in a really long time since covid, so I thought I could get this to-go for them :D I got 3 orders of Koku Tonkatsu Ramen (rich broth) and the noodles tasted as good as ever!! The pork was also delicious that it just melts in your mouth. The one thing I realized was that the broth was kind of salty? It was still pretty good nevertheless. I liked how they have prepared little containers of their spicy sauce and sesame seeds. My mom being super asian, she doesn't like how they use plastic containers because of how piping hot the broth is. So because they make their broth extremely hot, their containers changes shape. If you don't mind harmful chemicals, then I'm sure you wouldn't mind getting this place to-go haha. read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - August 2020 Menu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

I heard from locals when we were waiting to be seated that no noodle place in Pasadena beats this place. Once we sat down, we learned that they don't have any veggie options bc their broth is pork based. read more

I love it ! Best ramen soup and meat. I always bring family's and friend to they totally love it too

My friend wanted to hangout and try a new ramen spot so I was very anxious since I'm very critical of ramen whether it be the broth, the noodles or the overall restaurant itself. I was blown away by how delicious the ramen was. The slice pork belly was so zesty, the noodles were amazing and the broth mixed in with the veggies were so savory. I'm a fat ass so I got the extra pork belly and through in an egg cause I'm edgy and even the egg was delicious. Only downside is that you can't substitute the noodles for the ramen we got. I also wish they had a better system with how you go in since my friend and I felt like people would probably cut in like since there was no checking in system. It was more of a "wait in line and we'll call you when there's room for you and your party" but overall I enjoyed this place and the staff were super friendly and kind. They even came to check in on us and refill our waters. Will definitely come here again read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku Tonkotsu Flavored Egg Sparkling Water - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

This shop is located in Old Pas with a typical ramenya layout with table seating and also bar seating where you can see the chefs cooking. There's a tree in the middle of the trestaurant which is interesting. The ramen noodles are not too hard, not too soft. Though I'm not sure if you can adjust the hardness of the noodles, so if you want firm noodles them you may want to look elsewhere. I got the Jun tonkotsu and the broth is definitely rich in flavor, nice and umami and you can taste the green onion too. Although, for personal preference, it is still a little too rich/creamy even though Jun is the lighter option. We also got the gyoza once and it is nice and crisp. The gyoza filling uses more vegetable than I expected but in a nice refreshing way and it is a great appetizer. read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Jun Tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Everyone raves about this ramen. I had been craving a good ramen so took a friend with me. We were both disappointed. Egg is extra--one. A good ramen includes egg and many places don't charge extra. There was little to no flavor in the broth. I had to add all the sauces from the table to get flavor. Plus, when we arrived, there were tables available for two people and groups, plus room at the counter. I was happy bc I've seen a long line outside many times. But they took forever to acknowledge we were there. Despite there being three servers we were still TOLD to wait outside. Not even a please, just a directive with a point of a finger. We won't be back. read more

Don't let the long line fool you! It goes by quick and people inside know not to lounge since hungry eyes are drilling through the window Getting right to it: I ordered the lighter ramen ($14) and it was definitely light. The soup was really thin but packed with flavor and the noodles looked so limp but it was really chewy. Basically this restaurant is just not what it seems--the epitome of don't judge a book by it's cover LOL! Overall, not bad!! Still searching for a go-to ramen place in the SGV and while this was good, it just wasn't IT. The journey continues!! read more

This is the best ramen I've had in LA thus far. I'm usually turned off by a no-modification menu but Tatsunoya truly has nailed their recipes and process. This joint is uncomplicated in its service/food and truly delicious. read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku Extra w Egg - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

HORRIBLE SERVICE. They basically push you out the door. My husband had been wanting to try this place for months! We walk in and they let us know that they were only serving ramen and everything was in a to go because of plumbing issues and they'd be closing early. Fine & fine. We didn't mind. We got the food (which was decent). The server dropped off the bill before we can even take a second bite. We didn't put a card yet she came back and said she needed to take it. Feeling rushed we put down a card.. she then proceeded to watch us until it was signed. We didn't even finish eating yet. Then another server came and started pulling the cups. It was 9:05. We had gotten our food at 8:50. I felt so uncomfortable I told my husband let's just go. There is plenty of ramen places.. i simply won't go here again because of the service. read more

I just loveeee this place so much. It's definitely my favorite spot. There's almost always a wait but it's so worth it :) There's a good amount of seating here but I usually like to sit at the bar. Service: 5/5 I've never had an issue here whether it came to getting my order taken or my food. Food: 5/5 Koku Ramen - The broth is so rich and creamy and I'll usually order a side of corn to add inside. The noodles are always perfectly cooked. Only downside is they only give you 2 slices of chashu, so order more if you're a meat lover. Nothing but love for my favorite ramen spot. :) Enjoy! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

On a rainy day in Old Town Pasadena, my boyfriend and I were en route to another restaurant nearby, when we passed by Ramen Tatsunoya, and noticed something peculiar- there were empty seats! Long story short, we ate here instead. About 10 minutes later, we see a long queue form outside the door, in the rain! I usually avoid eating here because of the long line, but I'm glad I got the opportunity to try this place before the quarantine took place. We ordered the Chashu wraps to share, and each got our own ramen. The chashu wraps were tasty and i loved the texture, albeit too spicy for me. The ramen broth is rich and hearty, while the chashu is super fatty and melts in your mouth. Ordered a Flavored Egg on the side, the yolk was the perfect consistency, and I like how the egg whites were not too strongly flavored as the broth was strong enough on its own. Not a lot of street parking, but there's a nearby parking a couple of blocks away. Honestly, don't know if I would ever brave the lines again to try this pricey place, but I did enjoy the experience. read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Crispy Spicy Chashu Wraps - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Amazing food, the soup is so delicious, Great service, really friendly, well attentive, Ambiance was so homey and cozy, I give this place a 10 star if I could, my new go to place read more

Wow, this place is great! Almost no wait for two people, so we were able to get seated within 5 minutes even though there were a ton of people in the restaurant. I even got a small trolley to put my purse into since my chair did not have a back to it, 5/5 service. As for the food, it was authentic, fresh and delicious. You aren't allowed to make modifications to the ramen base but you are allowed to add things like egg, extra scallion, etc. I did not mind no modifications since the restaurant has worked hard to perfect their ramen. Pictured here are the spicy ramen and the gyoza. I was so full after! Definitely come here if you're in the area! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Spicy Tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Food was great! I had a great time overall. Wait time was a little longer than usual but it was over the weekend so it's understanble. I truly had a great experience here and will definitely come back. Also the staff was great too. read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Ramen with pork - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Craving tsujita ramen, this place, on paper was the place to go. Unfortunately, they had either discontinued their tsujita ramen or it was seasonal. Regardless I was a bit sad. The food was alright, the service was solid. But my lasting impression on this place was why was it so dang hot lol. Besides the beautiful interior decor and decent food, there was a lot to tolerate. The place was a but cramped in the corner next to the window and the shop in general made me feel feverishly warm. Not the most pleasant, but I certainly can get behind this place if they recover the tsujita ramen (and it is good) and they fix the physical ambience. (I suggest some type of ventilation) read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

The ramen here is 3/3.5. Good, just not great. The service was very nice and attentive. The charshiu was pretty good actually, but the broth was lacking depth and flavor...it tasted mostly porky and salty but not sweet or other interesting flavors. I have had tons of bowls of ramen in Japan, just for reference. read more

It's always a good sign to me when I see a ramen place with Japanese cooks and servers, and a lot of Japanese customers. That said, the broth is delicious here! I love an oily, filling broth, though it did lack a bit of depth in flavor. The chasu was fatty, tender, melt-in-my-mouth goodness. I forgot to order a soft-boiled egg (I wanted to see if they shoyu-boil them here), but the menu did say "no substitutions" on the side I ordered from. The bowls included sparse toppings; the build-your-own option seemed unrealistically pricey. Overall, a solid ramen spot in a cute, walkable location. Pros: - location - decent amount of bar and table seating - simple menu - nice restrooms - unique dessert menu (such as matcha flan... not your typical mochi ice creams!) Cons: - sparse toppings - a bit pricey especially a la carte toppings - broth missing something (it's very good though!) read more

Came by this place 5 mins before closing and to our surprise the kind lady sat us down. My girlfriend and I both had the Ramen and an order of their potstickers. They also have the good coke (the Mexican ones that come in the glass bottle) The potstickers were good but the Ramen was the star of the show. The noodles had a little bit of a springiness to it. You can chew it and it doesn't disenigrate in your mouth. And the broth was very rich and flavorful. The pork, though cut thick was very tender. Wonderful experience, never felt rushed or treated different for dining in so late in the evening. Beautiful staff, you can tell they take pride in the work and establishment. Highly recommend read more

We were visiting Pasadena and found this ramen place in old town. We were craving something warm for the winter night and the ramen was perfect for that! Even though we arrived at 9pm Saturday night and the place closes at 10pm, there was a line outside the place. Thankfully, the line moved relatively fast and we got seated within 20 minutes. We ordered the koku tonkotsu ramen which is their rich broth ramen. The broth was actually pretty rich and flavorful. It was delicious but be prepared for a heavy meal. The unami paste for the broth was a bit salty and spicy for my taste and made the broth even richer when mixed in. The chasu was delicious and the fat melts in your mouth. The noodles were thin and it would have been nice if they were a bit thicker. We also ordered a ramen egg and corn which was given on the side. The egg was good but probably could have been more marinated. The ramen comes with shredded mushroom, bean sprouts, and green onion by default but it would have been nice if there were more toppings. Overall a solid ramen place and I would come back for their broth! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Service was quick and koku tonkatsu was delicious with a rich broth. I highly leaving some broth for the kaedama which gives you an extra portion of broth. It was a delicious and filling meal to satisfy an authentic Japanese ramen craving. read more

See all

Simply, the best, after many years we decided to try and it was worth the wait. We love the ramen. 10/10

Always amazing when I go there never had a bad experience would definitely recommend if you're in the area

One of the things I love about this place is that they have light and/or fatty broth options on their menu. They also have a spicy option for the spicy lovers. I order the Koku Tonkatsu (fatty broth) and I have to say, chef's kiss. The broth was heavy and dense, how I like my broth. Their thin noodle texture was excellent. I love how they have an option (At the bottom of the menu) where you can refill your noodles for $1.70, & it's the same amount as the first portion, so mindful if you can finish a second round. I was kind of sad that they didn't offer bamboo shoots and their ramen egg was okay but wouldn't add-on again. Overall, I definitely recommend this place! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku Tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

Great location in downtown Pasadena, friendly fast service, good loungey music in the background, no TV (preferable for a good dining experience). Both the Koku/rich broth and the spicy broth are delicious. The chashu was melt-in-your-mouth tender. We were in the mood for traditional ramen flavors or we would have tried this month's featured flavor--Italian style ramen--as it sounded intriguing. We'll be back! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Spicy Tonkotsu with added corn - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

So my boyfriend and I got the light broth thin noodle ramen. We asked the waiter if we could share the bowl since there was an additional $2 for another serving of noodles option. We were thinking we could just get the extra noodles for one person and split the broth and chasu we asked the waiter and she said it was ok. This worked out really well and saved us a couple of dollars and less waste. Cleaned all the bowls and no leftovers. We had to wait in line for a bit since we went during dinner rush hour. But it was worth it bc the noodles were perfectly cooked and the broth was flavor full. The chasu was a bit hard to chew and salty but that's ok. The service was great and the ambiance was nice. There was a lot of noise and chatter everywhere so this is prob not good for a quiet candle lit dinner vibe. read more

Items: 1. Koku Tonkotsu | $15 | 5/5 stars 2. Spicy Miso Tonkotsu | $15 | 5/5 stars Review: Probably one of the most reviewed places in Old Town Pasadena and it definitely lives to its hype. The broth on the Tonkotsu ramen was so flavorful and rich that I was easily able to finish all of it. The noodle and chashu(pork) were both also very tasty as well. If you prefer something spicier, the Spicy Miso would definitely do the trick. I would say the noodles were some of best ramen noodles I have tasted in L.A. For $15, the quality of the noodle, broth, and meat was a great bang for the buck. The service was also excellent too. My friend and I only dined for about 30 minutes around 7:30pm on a Monday and the servers checked-in on us twice. Parking: $1 - De Lacey Parking Facility ($1 for first 2 hours) read more

See all

Pretty good Tonkatsu Ramen in Old Town. Met my sister here for lunch. I've passed by it before and there's usually a line. Parked in one of those 90 minute lots. I go there a little after 11:30 and snagged a table. Luckily they sat me without having the other person there. They have a weird spot where you can put your purse either at the top of the table or in a bag. I put my purse on the top of the table. My sister came and we sat down and ordered. I got the spicy tonkatsu and my sister got the regular. It was pretty tasty and the noodles had a good texture. Overall a great ramen place! read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Totally worth the 30-minute wait! Absolutely delicious. Based on my observation, I'm pretty sure Tatsunoya consistently has a line out the door. People didn't seem to mind waiting though, and I understand why. The food also came out extremely fast, so it's not like you're waiting another 20 minutes after you order. Our bowls came out from the kitchen in less than three minutes! Their broth is rich, creamy heaven. I got the Koku Tonkotsu ramen. It comes with chashu, black mushrooms, bean sprouts, and green onions. They have a bunch of side toppings you can add like flavored eggs, but they were a bit pricey ($1.50 a pop, even for extra green onions). The Koku broth was sooo delicious, though. It was extremely rich and fatty! A ramen dream. I also really enjoyed their noodles. They were on the thinner side, had a perfect diameter, and a wonderfully chewy bite. The chashu was also the best I've ever had. It was tender and had the perfect fatty-to-meat ratio. The pork slices practically melted in my mouth, it was so dang good. I instantly regretted not ordering extra chashu. Tatsunoya is definitely worth it if you're in the area! The wait is nothing compared to the quality of both the food and the service. read more

See all

This is by gas our favorite Ramen spot. It's small little place in Old Town Pasadena, with a line out the door. Portions are great and flavor is popping! read more

I usually see a line forming outside this place, so I was intrigued to see how great this ramen place was. Luckily, we only had to wait 15 minutes or less on a Sunday (3PM ish). The menu is pretty simple with three different types of Tonkotsu - Koku (rich), Jun (light), and Spicy, along with toppings and appetizers. I went with the Jun Tonkotsu and my bf went for the Koku Tonkotsu. The Jun Tonkotsu was perfect for me as the broth was flavorful. My bf enjoyed his Koku Tonkotsu as it was rich, creamy, and fatty. I tried his broth and thought the same, but I felt like if I had too much of something rich and fatty, I would eventually get sick of it. The only downside I would say is the price compared to other places we've gone to. I usually struggle a bit to finish my bowl, but I easily finished this one and wasn't as full. The chashu was pretty soft and had a nice fatty flavor, but it only had two pieces compared to others that typically serve three. It also didn't have as many toppings inside without additional costs. If I'm on a budget, as I usually am, I wouldn't choose this as my first choice. Although, if I had some extra to spend, then I wouldn't mind coming back. read more

See all

Definitely up there as one of the best ramen I've had! In terms of ambiance, this location is more cramped than most restaurants I've been to but on a cold winter day, I didn't really seem to mind. They also have a relatively limited menu which I do like as it makes it easier to decide what to order. The line does get pretty long but we were still seated rather quickly and were able to wait under a heater they have outdoors. Unpaid parking is hard to find, but there are nearby lots that offer a first free 90 min. I ordered the: Koku Extra Chashu (5/5): Everything about this bowl was so amazing! Koku tonkotsu is known for using pork back fat in order to create a richer broth and I think that that made the biggest difference to me. On top of that, the slices of chashu were so incredibly tender and melt in your mouth. I also thought that the wood-ear mushrooms and scallions were good additions and enjoyed the bowl so much that I didn't think it needed an egg. This ramen is pricier than what I would usually go for but is worth every penny. read more

Ramen Tatsunoya - Koku Tonkotsu - Ramen Near Me - Pasadena, California

Was in the neighborhood and was a hankering for some Ramen. It's always good idea to grab some hot noodles on a cool spring day. Tatsunoya is on the busy corner of Colorado and Fair Oaks, right in the middle of Old Town Pasadena. You can find spots in the street, but you're better off parking in one of the larger structures like the schoolhouse across the street. It's a very spacious restaurant with lots of table seating and a large bar that's right next to the open kitchen. The menu isn't too large and it's anchored by different variations of the tonkatsu broth-based ramen. I chose the basic, non-spicy version, with the addition of seaweed and egg. The broth is mild tasting, not overpowering like some spots, and the noodles are fresh. However, the noodles are pretty sparse and so is the charsiu. Would've liked a little more of both. Overall, a middle of the pack Ramen spot. If you're in old town, definitely check it out. read more