I love this place. I love it so much I ate here 4 weeks in a row. Only missed the 5th week because I was out of town. The food, the cocktails, the service and the ambiance are all excellent. My ONLY criticism is sometimes the music can be a little too loud for conversation, but this isn't always so. I'm a cocktail geek and have made multiple trips to The Aviary in Chicago. Believe me, The Aviary has nothing on the Tanto bar program. Cocktails are unique, creative, and delicious. Food was amazing, whether omakase or á la carte. Staff is attentive, fun and playful. Chuck and Nick anchor the beverage service while Tony and Ari will make you feel at home. If you are lucky you may get a visit from Chef Cody. Standout drinks: #1 is Seoul Food. Think the savoriness of a Bloody Mary but without tomatoes. Hard to describe but don't miss it! Other highlights include Opposite Day, Memory in Bloom, and Three Way. Season of Again pairs beautifully with the oysters. I hate to say I have a favorite restaurant, because I choose different places for differing needs, but Tanto has won my heart and tastebuds. read more

Went to dinner solo and called the restaurant ahead of time as the app wouldn't let be book a reservation for 1. They were super accommodating and told me just to come in. The hostess was pleasant when arriving and presented herself with exceptional sleek style. Someone brought me a palate cleanser drink which was rhubarb and lemongrass water. It was smooth and refreshing. The server guided me through the cocktail menu which was an exploration all its very own. I choose the cocktail called Opposite Day- Japanese whiskey, sweet Sauvignon Blanc, salted wine and roasted beets- twist on a whiskey sour but flipped! Oysters were light and fresh and the juice in the shell was precision clean. It really pops the flavors of the oyster. Yellowtail jalapeño handroll- it is designed to be eaten similar to a taco. The yellowtail was superbly fresh, the jalapeno was a mild touch to accompany the dish and didn't try to be the star. and the homemade soy sauce didn't over power the fish. Duck leg finished with a Szechuan spice and finished a pear au jus. The duck fell off the bone and was bursting with a complex blend of elegant flavors. As you check is presented they served you the tea of the day which was Hibiscus citrus Japanese tea in the most sophisticated teapot sitting on Japanese bamboo, which was a nice touch in the meal Upbeat modern music vibe Helpful, friendly weight staff that explains every item in detail as you order it, and when it brought to the table. read more

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Fun date spot that you absolutely NEED reservations to.. We kind of just walked in and they said the wait was an hour so we put our names in and walked around the neighborhood to the other shops for a bit. Very fun and funky drinks. Super posh spot to be and be seen. Sushi is very fresh and so many interesting things to try. The karrage was yummy as well. read more

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Brought my husband to Tanto for his birthday and we were really excited to try it. We've been to the kaiseki experience at Kosen two years ago and been dying to try their cocktail bar concept. The entire dining area and booth is now Tanto and they have themed cocktail menus that changes seasonally. They have a small bites menu which includes handrolls! Service was good, attentive and we got a nice view of the bar where the bartenders were amazing! They were shaving down ice for the cocktails. Very cool. The seasonal menu has already changed, so I am not sure of the drinks we got lol both were fun and just okay.. mine came in a cone shape ceramic and very tart? The food was pretty good - some hits and misses. The caviar service was good but came with thin chips that break. I would recommend small pancakes. The sea bream hand rolls were good and the chirashi was very good. The karaage was good but the chive aioli was incredible. Overall cool concept but would love a bigger entree options on their menu. This would open up more patrons to visit who don't want to drop $500 for sushi read more

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Place is such a vibe, moody, focus is on cocktails but the food does not miss either. You recieved a welcome drink (tiny but fun + cool unique feature) and hot tea towards the end. The service is always top tier. Chuck always is on top of things, as our server/bartender. There is another young lady, she didn't really listen to what I said to her and kinda seemed like a rehearsed dialog but she was kind nonetheless. I mentioned "I've been here before, I'd like an omakase drink-- i truly like the dressed to kill" which a spirit forward, clean herbal/floral drink ... she suggested I start light and then work my way towards that - when initially , I just wanted an omakase cocktail. The servers/bartenders tend to take care of you on the spot, so one server is not designated to your table. The chicken sandwich is my fave food to eat, It was kimchi on it. My family tried the duck leg and loved it with a side of mushrooms for a somewhat full meal! The kombucha menu was nice for my father who doesn't drink too much, as well. On other visits, I've tried the caviar board. The mini dorayaki and lemon crème fraiche ... amazing! Pretty pricey but if your having drinks and want something to munch on and split with the girls, it's a cute option. read more

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Love Tanto!! It's a new Japanese cocktail lounge located inside Kosen, and the vibe is amazing. The cocktail presentation is so creative, and every drink we tried was excellent. They offer bar bites too--and wow, everything we ordered was so good. If you're looking for a great experience and super cool cocktail presentations, this is a must-go spot! What I ordered: - Caviar Service - Wagyu Tartare - The Sandwich (fried chicken) - Smoked Duck Leg read more

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What an experience tanto is. This is a very popular spot at the moment so they typically take reservations only. Upon arriving, you are greeted with complementary drinks, which is a nice touch. They do have a small bite's menu. Keep in mind. It is mostly raw or semi raw items. They have one drink that is interactive "dressed to kill" which is throwing dry ice at the bar. Price range of drinks was about 20-25 each. The inside was stunning and a whole vibe I would absolutely recommend coming here for drinks and small bites if you're looking for something chill and intimate. read more

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They certainly have done a wonderful job at making this an unforgettable experience....almost to a fault. When you reserve, you'll be required to put a card down and will be charged $50 per person for cancellations. Life happens and things can change so it was incredibly anxiety inducing when we ran into traffic on our way there. 2/3 in our group was stuck in traffic and trying to beat the clock for our reservation. We then had to wait another 5 minutes outside while they deliberated inside as to whether we'd be able to keep our appointment or not. If we wouldn't have been charged, we would have left right then. They decided that we were okay to keep our reservation and welcomed us in. The vibe inside is very nice. Very modern, sleek and cozy. The offer a warm hand towel and a complimentary lavender-infused shot. That was a nice surprise. The server was very sweet and she was able to explain the drink options to us. We'd love to try Kōsen some time and it has been rated very highly. read more

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Tanto was definitely an experience. It started with the little adventure of waiting outside. They were running a bit behind when we arrived, and since there's no indoor waiting area, we ended up on the benches out front. Of course, it happened to be cold, and the hostess simply said, "There's no waiting room inside." Florida weather is either freezing or hotter than the devil's armpit, so waiting outside while dressed cute is not ideal. Something about that setup really needs to change. But once we got inside, the vibe was completely different. The ambiance is dim, calm, and very grown and sexy. They surprised us with a welcome drink, which was a nice touch. Our server, Nick, was great--super knowledgeable and explained the menu like he actually cared. We ordered the "F It We Ball" cocktail, which was really good, and another drink that was vesper-style. I can't remember the name, just that it was strong enough to make me blink twice. The bartender added a little citrus and boom, it turned amazing. The presentation for that drink is interactive, where you go to the bar and talk with the bartender, which made it fun. We also had the omasake which was fun just giving the server a flavor profile we liked and letting them go from there. The food was delicious but listen... eat a little something before you go. Not because the food isn't good--it's amazing--but the portions are the "cute date night" kind, not the "I'm starving and haven't eaten all day" kind. We had the duck and the oysters, and both were a solid 10 out of 10. Overall, I'd absolutely come back. The drinks, the food, the atmosphere--it's all really good. I just hope they rethink the whole outside waiting situation because Florida weather simply cannot be trusted. read more

Tanto - Japanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I had a wonderful first time here! The staff was friendly and attentive. The ambiance has an opulent luxury to it. Its dark, quiet, and has lively music. My server, Ari, was a Rockstar, and Mike, the creative was very knowledgeable and recommended some great drinks! I was welcomed with a free margarita, which was made with their own unique twist! I ordered the sandwich for food, which was fried chicken, kimchi, cucumbers, etc. I almost prepared one to go, it was so good! I decided to leave my acquired tastes in the hands of the bartenders, and they made me a surprise tequila based drink! I was blown away! Ill definitely be back! read more

Tanto - Free welcome margarita, menu, hot towel - Japanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Excellent service, food, & drinks! The Second Date cocktail was delicious & unique! Our fave food of the night was the yellowtail jalapeño handrolls! Edit: Coconut/Ube cocktail & rootbeer floats (NA) were nice additional treats! read more

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The vibe and atmosphere is amazing! Every staff member is friendly and knowledgeable, they give so much detail in every menu item and are so helpful making the right choice. The drinks options can be overwhelming so it was nice to have the hep of the staff. read more

Tanto - Japanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Everything at Tanto was 10/10! The service, ambience and drinks were immaculate. We were given welcome drinks that were just ok but it was free lol Nobodies foo was just as tasty as it was pretty. I've never seen a drink so gorgeous! The ginger isn't overbearing at all and the rum based was stiff (in the right way). Blurred limes was SO refreshing. The drink was well balanced and the lime was just right. If you're a Gin drinker, definitely order that. At the end, we were given these tea "shots," which had no alcohol was also very refreshing. I would definitely visit Tanto again. read more

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There is nothing like this in Tampa. Extremely high quality and thoughtful cocktails. They are doing things with spirits that I could never even imagine. I'm excited to come back and try more drinks and menu items. As expected, service is incredible, everyone is so knowledgeable. read more

Amazing drinks and relaxing elegant atmosphere. You can tell they put a lot of time into coming up with their drinks. The food is also very high quality, fresh, and delicious. read more

Tanto - Japanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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We visited and had a great experience. This restaurant is located in the same space next to Kosen and they utilize the same cooking techniques and the omakase styled cocktails are the main draw for Tantō. I had three drinks crafted for me and they were all fantastic, but what I liked the most is that they also did this with zero proof cocktails so no one has to feel left out of the experience! As far as the food goes they have a small menu, but it is elevated so it isn't your usual bar bites. While the menu may have changed since I went during the soft open, they had wagyu by the ounce with no preset limit like most restaurants do. I don't eat a lot of red meat and 2 ounces was all I wanted and it was priced at 40 an ounce and served with gluten-free jus and a few fried potatos. It was absolutely delicious and they made the fried potatoes in a different fryer as well to avoid gluten cross contamination. I absolutely recommend this spot for cocktails and light bites. It's basically Michelin starred level, but at a good price. They had other items on the menu as well as popcorn, chirashi, black sesame ice cream and a fried chicken sandwich that looked amazing. read more

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Dinner at Tanto was incredibly impressive. Our waiter, Chuck, was amazing and took great care of us. We ordered two rounds of oysters, the rice, and the Wagyu (which was so good we didn't even get a picture!). The Yellowtail was the absolute star of the night--it had such an interesting and unique flavor profile. Honestly, everything on the menu seems fantastic. The drinks were all aesthetically pleasing and tasted great. The banana dessert was also very cute and tiny. Highly recommend the food did not disappoint. read more

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First of all, our server Raja helped make the experience great. Our bartender also came out to personally explain the drinks and take our order. We opted for the omakase drink, where he asked us to give him any description and he would make us a drink. I was so impressed that he remembered all 6 of our descriptions without writing anything down! We threw out very random things and the drink he made each of us were SPOT ON. The ambiance was great as well and the music helped the vibes. The food selection was awesome as well, I especially loved the chirashi. I will say the food is more snack size so don't come hungry but if you want an experience, it's a must try. read more

Tanto - Chirashi, chicken sandwich, sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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My new favorite cocktail spot. This is a very intimate experience with Kosen with limited seating so definitely make a reservation as there is no bar seating even. This is everything that Tampa has been missing but am glad that more elevated lounges are starting to pop up in the area. The menu is very creative and well executed as well as innovated which we often don't see the combination of with the execution of what they have accomplished here in my opinion. They have a small food menu if you are hungry but as a lounge the main focus is on the cocktails. The staff is incredibly friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable making the experience feel both elevated yet welcoming and warm. They start you off with a complimentary welcome cocktail taster, warm towel, and then after your cocktails offer you complimentary tea. This place checks all the boxes for what I believe a cocktail lounge should be and I cannot wait to go back. read more

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Amazing cocktails, food (especially the chicken sandwich), and service. Definitely need to try the Omakase or "I'll leave it to you" cocktail where you tell them the liquor and some other details you want and they make a unique cocktail for you! read more

Incredible experience. The cocktail menu is out of this world. The staff should go on Jeopardy with how much they know. We were blown away with the knowledge they had on every cocktail and the flavor profile in each. Best cocktail bar in Florida. I didn't take a picture but go to their instagram to get an idea of what the cocktails look like. read more

Excellent service. Fun dinning experience. A great night. Good food. Great drinks. Easy parking lot across the street. Afterwards, can walk around the Armature works. read more