Came here with my friends and my son this past Wednesday for lunch. We arrived about 10 to 15 minutes after they opened at 11 a.m., and it was the perfect time to avoid the lunch rush. I've been wanting to try Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr. for a while since their original location is in Torrance. I'm really glad they opened a Pasadena location because we're lucky to have one here in the 626 now. Parking was easy since there are spots right in front of the restaurant, but they are metered and cost $2 per hour. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the staff. Since the weather was nice, we decided to sit out on the patio, which was cool and comfortable. To start, we ordered the fried tempura mozzarella sticks ($5.99), onion kakiage ($2.99), and edamame corn kakiage ($5.99). Everything was delicious, but the mozzarella sticks were the clear favorite. They were fried perfectly with an amazing cheese pull and plenty of cheesy flavor. We decided to share all of our entrees family style. For my son, we ordered the plain hot udon, which was simple and perfect for him. For the rest of us, we ordered the Premium Tempura Bowl ($32.97) and added ikura ($4.98), the cold soba with dipping sauce and tempura ($19.99), and Carlos's Jewel Box ($31.99), which came with chopped salmon, toro, yellowtail, and popcorn shrimp over rice. We also added extra toro for $8. On top of that, we ordered a side of five slices of chu-toro for $15.49, which honestly felt like a great deal. The Premium Tempura Bowl was definitely the star of the meal. Every piece of tempura was light, crispy, and fried perfectly without feeling greasy. The fried tempura egg was absolutely chef's kiss, especially once the yolk mixed into the rice. The tempura dipping sauce was also excellent and brought everything together. The Carlos's Jewel Box was another standout. The fish tasted fresh, and the rice with their house sauce paired perfectly with everything. The added toro made it even better. The cold soba was well prepared, but it just wasn't our cup of tea. That's more of a personal preference than anything because the quality was still there. The restaurant has a modern look while still feeling like a cozy mom-and-pop shop. I really liked the decor and the welcoming atmosphere. Since we were the only table sitting outside, I can't really comment on the noise level inside, but the patio was peaceful and relaxing. The service was great. The staff brought out a booster seat for my son and even helped secure it to the patio chair. They also brought us all the condiments, including ginger and pickled vegetables, without us having to ask, which I appreciated. Overall, I would definitely come back. The tempura was some of the best I've had in the 626, and the rice bowls were just as impressive. If you're visiting for the first time, I highly recommend ordering one of the tempura bowls. You really can't go wrong. It's great to see a restaurant that started in Torrance expand to Pasadena because it's a welcome addition to the 626 dining scene. read more

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Got the premium tempura bowl, and it was kind of disappointing. The batter was not sticking to the shrimp nor the squid after biting into it. It kind of fell apart. There was also no crunch to it. I remember the Torrance location tempura had a very nice crunch, batter was light and airy, and it stuck to the food. The sauce is the same, as they put it in the rice instead of you dipping it into a sauce. I also got cold soba on the side since they can't substitute the rice for soba. Soba wasn't anything special. The noodles at the Torrance location is better I promise! The miso soup was okay, didn't really enjoy it that much. It's not your typical miso soup. It has mushrooms in it. The mushroom flavor was too strong for me. Service was meh since we sat down first, but they took the order from our neighbors before us. Their food came out first too. Most likely won't come back to this location again. Not sure if they just had an off day when I went, but I had a disappointing experience. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Premium Tempura Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I come here pretty often for either a special tempura bowl or a chicken tempura bowl. There is validated parking behind the plaza for an hour. Problem is wait time is usually somewhere around 30 min - 1 hr on a weekend since the restaurant is very small. The tempura bowls I get alway comes with scallop tempura, shrimp tempura, seaweed tempura, shishito pepper tempura, and runny yolk egg. The difference is the special has a whitefish tempura and the chicken has a chicken tempura. I love how the tempura here doesn't make me feel greasy after eating the whole bowl with a nice balance of sweetness to savory-ness. The runny egg yolk gives a gooey texture to the rice to contrast the crispiness of the tempura. Overall, food is delicious. I can't give them a full 5 star because of how the restaurant is managed. They take forever to clear tables and seat people, leading to long wait times. I watched them leave a table of 2 open for an entire 30 minutes before calling the next group of 2 in. That needs to be fixed. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Stopped by Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior in Pasadena and really enjoyed the meal. I ordered the chirashi bowl with a side of tempura. The chirashi bowl was loaded with fresh fish and was super hearty and filling. There was a good variety of fish and the portions felt generous. The tempura was also a standout. The batter was light and crispy without feeling heavy or oily, which can be hard to find. It paired really well with the dipping sauce and made for a comforting side to the meal. They also have a large menu with sushi, soba, udon, tempura, and combo options, so there are a lot of choices depending on what you're craving. One thing to note is that seating is limited and there tends to be a wait, so coming earlier is probably your best bet. Overall a solid spot if you're in the Pasadena area and looking for a satisfying Japanese meal. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Chirashi bowl and salmon bowl - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Different sets of tempura, soba, udon, and sushi/sashimi Sister got the hot soba which she swears has a light yuzu taste. Soba prepared and in bowl of soup. Brother has the premium tempura bowl with extra ikura and maiitake. It had Anago or conger eel, decent I got the tempura with cold soba. Cold soba is as good as it can get. My sister said she would order cold over hot soba next time. Tempura is decent overall. Shrimp, pumpkin are good Small restaurant vibes read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Premium tempura bowl with extra maitake mushroom - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Been here twice. Food was good both times but both times I had a stomachache when I got home. Not sure what it is but def don't get the uni cause it didn't look fresh. We tried the onion karaage too and it was hard to eat and nothing special. The weekday lunch portions are a good deal. I know it's supposed to be authentic tempura like you get in Japan but I can't tell the difference. I mean it's good but most tempura is. I'm not sure I'll try it again cause of the stomachache afterwards on both occasions I went. read more

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Stopped by near the end of their lunch service and were quickly seated. Ordered a variety of things to sample, including two sushi rolls and two lunch plates. The sushi was decent, but I wouldn't come to this spot when craving sushi specifically. One of the rolls we ordered was "spicy," but rather than mix the spicy ingredient in with the fish meat, it was just served on the side which I thought was odd. The lunch plates came with a variety of servings, including the tempura (of course), miso soup, and rice. Very generous portions and the tempura crunch was light and airy. Unrelated to the quality of the food, but something that always rubs me the wrong way, is when staff comments on the amount of food ordered, which happened here multiple times. Take that for whatever it's worth. read more

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Ordered the special tempura bowl, really enjoyed the white fish tempura. Each bowl is made to order so the tempura is fresh and lightly battered. Didn't have much of a wow factor but it was good for a first time. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

My first time trying Tendon Tempura! We came here to celebrate my friend's birthday before we headed to the Pasadena Playhouse which was down the street. We both ordered the Tempera Special and shared an order of the Yellowtail Hand rolls for an appetizer. The hand roll was generously stuffed and it tasted fresh. The tempera special came with pumpkin, scallops, white fish, shrimp, seaweed, and jalapeños. It also includes an order of rice and miso on the side. Overall the food here was great. I will say the highlight of the night was the outstanding service. The multiple staff members that helped us order/ served us were very friendly and attentive. That alone would make me want to return to Tendon Tempura. read more

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I was craving tempura tonight so we decided to try this Location after having it at the Torrance location. I have to say... Both Locations were the same! Thank God because now I can get this deliciousness closer to my house. Let's get into it... My boyfriend ordered the premium tempura plate and I ordered the mixed tempura and soba combo. We also ordered the onion Kakiage and seafood Kakiage on the side. Everything was perfectly fried, crispy, flavorful, and delicious. We love the Onion Kakiage... it's definitely a must get. The Pasadena is a smaller location and I can see how lines can get long during prime dinner time or on the weekends. But if you're looking for great service and excellent food... You gotta check them out! read more

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3.7/5 Got the special tempura bowl and it was delicious. Miso soup was nice because it had mushrooms. Some parts of the tempura were soggy (the shrimp) and some parts (the veggies) were perfect. Don't come here in a hurry because I think it almost took 25-30 mins to get my meal on a Friday at 1:30pm. I lived in Japan for a year so I always have high expectations for Japanese food. It satisfied my tempura craving, but for $20.99 it felt like it wasn't living up to my standard. Waiters were Japanese, but to be honest they didn't seem very happy doing their jobs. I noticed that they had a sass to their responses to all the customers which isn't typical for Japanese waiters but it wasn't a make or break of my overall experiences. For the price, I just didn't feel like I got the value for my money and don't see myself coming back here. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Special Tempura Bowl with miso soup - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Tiny little spot nestled on Colorado Boulevard, but it fills up fast! Fortunately, I came by myself and was able to sit at the bar. I came specifically for the tempura and I was not disappointed. Literally the crispiest most delicious tempura I've ever had. Large pieces of fish, and tender. 10 out of 10. Fast and friendly service, fair pricing. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Large pieces of fish perfectly fried - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Finally got to try this place and it didn't disappoint! We arrived around 11:40am on a Sunday and wait time was very short, like 10mins tops. Menu is pretty straightforward and there's even the origin story of how this restaurant came about, super cute! I ordered a chicken tendon and my fiance ordered the special tendon (has white fish). It came with a nice miso soup that wasn't too salty at all. Theres also pickled ginger and seasoned celery at each table. Very nice palette cleansers! Tempura was lightly battered and saucy. Not as crispy as I had anticipated but probably due to the sauce. Breading wasn't too heavy either which I prefer. Origj ally my fiance felt there wasn't enough rice but it ended up being just right. Portions are really good and you will end up full but not too stuffed! Loved the variety included in the bowl and the chicken breast was pretty juicy and tender. Would recommend to anyone craving tendon! They do have a Torrance location too. Theres parking in the back that I didn't know existed, but you can also just do street parking around the area. By the time we left around 12:30-1 the line got a lot longer so try to arrive before 12! read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Chicken tendon - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is what I was craving for. I got here right when they opened and didn't have to wait for a table. I got the premium tempura bowl. It comes with shrimp, fish, some veggies, and an egg. This was the first time at this location but I've been to their Torrance location. I like this location more just because it is closer to stores I go to. This location is smaller than the one in Torrance but since there wasn't any many people inside, it was still relaxing. The tempura was light and their side free pickled celery and ginger is really refreshing and add nice touch to the meal. I will be back the next time I'm craving this again. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Premium tempura bowl - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great service with speedy food delivery. We sat down, ordered, and within 10 minutes were sitting in front of some cold soba with tempura, tempura plate, and salmon roll. The cold soba dipping sauce was delicious, tempura was nice and crunchy. The courtyard atmosphere was comfortable and well lit. We would come back! read more

very nice staff and a lively location. theres a few spots inside and outdoor seating as well. ordered the premium tempura plate and the mozzarella sticks the mozzarella sticks didn't give the cheese pull i wanted but it was still quite yummy. the cheese had a nice flavor the premium tempura plate was quite filling.each item was battered nicely and had a lovely crisp. the batter wasn't thick and was light and airy. after a bit it was a little heavy for me, but still good nonetheless their soba was fresh and the noodles were bouncy. it was a refreshing mix with the fried foods. read more

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I ordered the yellowtail handroll and deluxe tempura bowl. The best part of the meal was the yellowtail handroll; but note that the first bite is pretty basic, it's not until you get deeper into the roll does the sauce/flavors really stand out - if you are looking for a perfect handroll, it's close but not quite there. The deluxe tempura bowl comes with eel, I am a huge fan of eel but it it seemed as if the unique flavor of eel goes away after you put it into batter. It's the long piece of 'fish' that stands sideways on the bowl - the white fish had more of a kick than the eel. I would not recommend the deluxe for the eel, although I did like the shrimp, it was quite tasty. Although I am saying these things about the food, the price point makes it not an amazing place to dine at a lot, tempura from others chains like Marugame, when the tempura is fresh, is comparable to this Carlos Jr's - Torrance location is definitely the gold standard. Minor thing, but we were seated before the group next to us and had asked the waiter to order. What ended up happening is that the table seated after was asked for their order before us; additionally, their food came out first - just be patient... I did not want to be upset about that and spoil my lunch at the time. read more

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How did I not know this was here? I've been meaning to go to the Torrance one, but so glad my friend brought me to this one. I have been here twice already. Visit 1: arrived about 6:45. Tuesday night. No waiting. Indoor seating. Tables have bowls of pickled ginger and pickled celery, soy sauce, Japanese chili flakes, chopsticks and napkins. Ordered the special tempura plate. Comes with white fish, 2 shrimps, kakiage (squid & scallop), pumpkin, seaweed, shishito pepper, half boiled egg, rice and miso soup. We also ordered a side of chicken breast, another kakiage, and mushroom tempura. We also got the onion tempura which comes with its own tempura dipping sauce. Everything was delicious! Service was great! Walls and bathroom had cute decor! Visit 2: two days later. Thursday about 7:30. About a 10 minute wait. Brought a different friend. Outdoor seating. Table only had chopstick and napkins. Ordered the same special tempura plate w extra side of whitefish. When the food came, I asked the server for the pickled ginger and celery and the chili flakes. When she brought out the pickled veggies, it was in a small plate with a small serving. I was surprised, expecting it to be served in the same bowls as inside tables. I was disappointed, but understood that probably they didn't want to keep food outdoors, but maybe at least bring the bowl, then when we leave, bring it back in? My friend ended up loving the ginger and asked for more. When it came time to pay, server brought the payment tablet thing and left. I was paying by cash and didn't want to leave the cash and tip outside, so I brought the little handheld computer thing inside with the cash and left it with a gentleman server, he said ok and thank you and we left. The lady server came running down the street and said that they don't take cash. I didn't see any signed or anything printed on the menu that it was a cashless restaurant. Maybe I missed it? I'm one of those people who really don't use card. ** looking back at other yelp pictures. There's one sign on the door. When I went both times. The door was open. So I didn't see signs anywhere else. read more

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(+) Special Tempura plate (+) Light Breading Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior is known for their freshly made tempura paired with rice, soba, or udon. Indoor and outdoor seating are available and the menu is so filled with great Japanese delights to satisfy everyone. Once you arrive, put your name on the waitlist since it does get pretty long. Food: There are set plates/bowls you are select from. I ordered the special plate which comes with white fish, two shrimp, kakage (mixed of scallop and squid), pumpkin, seaweed, and shisito pepper. I wouldn't say I had a favorite but I didn't like the kakage. The tempura is the star of the show and each bite was light and airy. The tempura sauce is really light and not much flavor/salt. The overall meal was delicious because the emphasis is on the light and crisp coating of the tempura. Pickled ginger and celery were also provided that was a nice treat. Service/Ambiance: The service is so-so. The waitresses seemed rushed and we felt hurried. The ambiance wasn't the best. I would oome back for the food but not the service. I would try to visit again on a weekday and avoid the lines. read more

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Our first experience with this restaurant was in Torrance and it was fantastic and the same goes for this one. Once we arrived, we put our name on the waitlist on the tablet by their entrance. Wait time was approximately 15-20 minutes as it was dinner time. Once our name was called, we were given seats outdoors, which was perfect. Just what we wanted! Since we ate at the Torrance location, we were already familiar with their menu and ordered right away from our waiter. We ordered two tempura plates - the Special Tempura Plate and the Vegetable Tempura Plate. We also wanted to try the Bluefin tuna sashimi too. The tempura plates were delicious as usual - hot, fresh and made to order. Bluefin tuna sashimi was like butter! High-quality goodness! Paired everything with an Asahi beer and I was in heaven! That dipping sauce they have is to die for. Service was great and the food was perfect. What more can you ask for? So happy we have one so close to home. read more

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While looking for a place to eat for dinner that has outdoor seating, so my husband and I can eat with our little girl dog, we ended up deciding to come here, Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior (located at the Arcade Lane and across the street from Vroman's Bookstore. Only sreet parking is available). We dined here last Friday evening. We arrived around 7:30 pm and waited about 15 minutes for a table outside (the wait would have been a little less if we had gotten a table inside). We had to wait for an employee to clean the table outside, as there were dirty dishes and such left on the table outside. It was nice that the heat lamps were on. After looking over the menu, we ended up ordering: Medium Fatty Tuna (Toro) Sashimi Bowl, $21.99 prior to tax- My husband decided to order this bowl. His meal came with a small side of mushroom soup. The sashimi bowl itself came with 5 pieces of toro, which was very good. The rice was also seasoned, which went well with the fish. My husband liked his entree but wished there were more pieces of the toro. Special Tempura Bowl, $20.99 prior to tax- You have the option of swapping your half hard boiled egg for a tempura vegetable at no additional cost. Shrimp can also be swapped for chicken at no additional cost as well. I decided to swapped my half half boiled egg for eggplant. I liked the eggplant and I also liked the tempura, which consisted of white fish, shrimp and 1 slice of pumpkin. There was also small pieces of scallop and squid. The meal itself is on the smaller side but really is a good portion for me (as I generally watch my portion sizes when I eat). I did ask the employee what was the difference between the tempura bowls and the tempura plates, as it is only $1 difference in price. The employee told me that your tempura is served separately instead of on top of the rice if you order a bowl. And then are given a side of Tentsuyu to dip your tempura in, instead of having it drizzled on the rice if you ordered the bowl. You are also given a side of radish as well if you order the plate. ---------------------------------- (Total= $47.49 after tax, prior to tip) Overall, I liked the food and so did my husband. But my husband did not like the small portions. Also because they were busy, the service was not as attentive, but it was friendly. I don't know if I will come back though. read more

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Cute little spot! Came here for some tempura goodness with my gal pals Friday night and we were instantly seated around 5pm. Service was quick and attentive. The menu isn't too complicated but there's a nice variety of sushi, soba/udon, and tempura! I got the Special tempura plate and thought it was a good portion! Each of the tempura was very tasty and retained its crunch through the meal. Nothing felt too greasy and the sauce that came with it cut through the fried elements nicely. A sweet little spot I'd probably visit again! I will say, I was baking inside. Idk if there's AC or a fan or anything but I was sweating up a storm! Hahaha! read more

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Hi. We're back again. They added new items. One of the items is the onion karaage! It's like a Japanese tempura onion ring.. It is very delicious. Comes with tempura dipping sauce. It is a hot day and nothing is more satisfying than cold soba noodles and fresh tempura. The service was excellent as always. It was pretty packed and the servers were amazing. There was a little ruckus at the table next to us with some people who wanted to change their minds after the food came out and blamed the server for bringing the wrong order. I heard the original order AND the server repeats the order before the leaving the table. However, the server apologized and immediately brought out the "new" original order. She handled the situation very well and professionally. I heard the people laughing and saying that they couldn't believe that'they' fell for it. As we leaving I left a little extra tip, because nobody should have to deal with a-hole people like that. And said a little out loud to the server, that some people are just bad people and have no respect. The people at the table looked up at me but said nothing, but stopped laughing. I enjoy coming to this restaurant because the food is delicious and the serving staff are so nice and friendly. I couldn't stand by and let bad people ruin the experience. I didn't rat them out because the staff had already handled the issue. Enjoy your meals and PLEASE be respectful to everyone. Thanks for your time. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Onion karaake. Japanese tempura onion ring. Yummy - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I was looking forward to trying this place out this past Saturday for Mother's Day, but unfortunately, the food and service disappointed me. I understand they are busy, but there is no reason to swing the door at my face when I simply asked where I can put my name down on the waiting list. No answer, just rolled eyes and door in face. We really should've left because from that moment, it definitely felt like it was a mission for the two servers to make it a miserable experience for my family. I later found a small post holding up a chromebook outside of the restaurant with a paper with very small print explaining waitlist rules. It would be a lot better if the restaurant made a larger print sign that just says, "Sign In Here," and then have your small print letter to the customers about the rules. We put our name down at 12:30pm, it gave an estimated seat time of ~1pm. But because of the terrible service and mismanagement of the waiting list, we didn't get seated until 1:30pm. They seated 4 parties of 2-3 before our party of 4 when the open tables were side by side. On top of that, after we got seated, they still gave water and took the other tables orders that were seated after us before they came to us. Food took another 20 minutes to come out. I asked for the bill three times, but it didn't come until the other tables that were seated after us left and it was just empty tables next to us. In terms of the food, it was fine and the tempura was cooked well but I do not need to eat their tempura to be treated this poorly. read more

small and cozy got the combo w a tempura bowl and udon and everything was really good! would want to come back to just try the tempura bowl w fish and other veggies read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

My first post of the year, and it was at a place that I had wanted to check out for a while! I felt comfortable dining here solo - would come back and try more things on the menu! At first impression, I was glad to see that the staff were all Japanese-speaking. As I was glancing over the menu, I also noticed that they were playing nostalgic Japanese pop songs from the early 2000s (ex. Utada Hikaru), which brought comfort to me. I knew I was in a good spot. I ordered the small tempura bowl with cold soba, and added pumpkin and kakiage. It was a fairly good amount for a 'small' size, but I think adding my two additional items helped. I was pleasantly content after my meal and didn't feel overstuffed. Overall I think the tempura was good. Of course, there are other top notch restaurants with higher prices that offer much crispier tempura, but for a comforting Japanese restaurant at less than $29 for a full meal for me, I'm happy. Worth a visit, will come back :) read more

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Another recommendation that absolutely lived up to its praise -- Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior, I was not let down!!! I ordered the special tempura bowl with white fish, shrimp, pumpkin, mixed seafood tempura, seaweed, shishito pepper, a half-boiled egg, and miso soup. That egg though... pure jammy, creamy perfection. Seriously -- tell me your secret! The beef udon was deeply comforting, with a broth that was both flavorful and soothing in all the right ways. The wait wasn't bad at all. It's a quaint little spot with friendly staff. They validate parking. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Hands down, one of the best Tendon you can have in LA...and I don't usually look for Tendon! Tempura is freshly deep fried and once it came to my tables everything was crispy and taste was phenomenal. Great customer service by the staff, caring, and fast service. Very cozy ambiance, they have both inside and outside seating. For a smaller restaurant like this, it has a good amount of table/seats. Not to mention that their sushi rolls were spot on as well. Would come back several times. read more

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Known for their Tendon, Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior is directly across the VRoman Bookstore. I am going against the grain here but I love their Plates instead of their bowls. The bowls are drenched in their sweet sauce while the plate you can enjoy the crunch! 1. Shrimp Tempura Plate We were sat outside the eatery promptly. Do request their spicy flakes and their side dishes that they offer inside. Make sure to have your order ready so that your food comes out a little quicker. Overall, a nice experience :) read more

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Gotta give this 5 stars even with a crazy wait time. Came here on a super rainy day and it was still quite a wait, only truncated cause it was a solo mission for me... I can't speak for the rice as I had none but I must say the tempura is probably the best tempura I could remember tasting in the US. The batter isn't thick at all, it's quite thin and crispy perfection. The veggies/shrimp is not overpowered by the batter so they definitely know how to do this. They also offer hot water to drink which is so nice cause I usually feel off when I request this at other restaurants. Soba is good too and they have pickled condiments which are a good addition to the meal. I'd def come here again but I wouldn't recommend coming with a big group if you don't want to wait. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Tempura soba combination - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

This spot is definitely popular -- there's always a line, and I finally had the chance to try it. The restaurant is quite small, so expect a bit of a wait. I ordered the special tempura bowl with extra eel ($32). The tempura was fried to a crisp with a light batter, but the overall flavor was quite subtle. It had a distinct sesame oil taste that wasn't my personal favorite. The mixed sashimi bowl with ikura ($28), on the other hand, was fresh and delicious -- definitely the highlight of the meal Portion was on the smaller side. I added an extra uni hand roll because I was still hungry after the bowl read more

Tendon tempura Carlos junior continues to be one of my all time favorite places to eat and I'm so glad they opened a location in Pasadena. Lines are much better than when they first opened and you can join the yelp waitlist once you arrive at the restaurant. My favorite thing to order is the special tempura bowl and I love adding on the pumpkin and mushrooms! Food is consistently solid and always hits the spot. The sashimi is also always really good! We're usually able to find parking on the streets nearby. Seating available indoors and outdoors, though inside is pretty small. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Tempura bowl - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came here to lunch with a friend on a Sunday afternoon. It took about an hour to get seated but they put you on a wait list and you can walk around old town while keeping an eye on your spot in line. Absolutely loved both the Udon and the tempura. I think I'd get the plate instead of the bowl unless you're really craving rice. Tempura was both tasty and super crispy without feeling oily. There is indoor table and counter seating, and some outdoor but covered. More of a casual spot. Overall definitely recommended for a casual Japanese restaurant! read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Tempura plate combo - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Always a delicious meal here. You can sign up for the waitlist when you get to the restaurant and just make sure you don't crowd around the little alley as two restaurants do outdoor seating in that area. The restaurant is pretty small but they are usually pretty efficient. I love their tendon especially their prawn. They also have udon which is pretty good. Parking is in the back and they'll validate. Otherwise, quite a bit of street parking but of course hit or miss. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior is a Japanese restaurant operated by a Peruvian chef trained in Japan that specializes in tempura. The menu goes well beyond tempura, but tempura is the main draw. And for good reason - it's one of the better versions I have had in the states. Not as good as the top places I've been to in Japan, NYC, and Singapore, but definitely more reasonably priced. The tempura is well executed - fairly light and also flavorful, yet not salty and also not greasy. Tried the tempura dinner and loved the prawn and veggies, but the conger eel was a bit tough and chewy. Also liked how even the rice and miso soup were above average here and not an after thought. Service is fast and friendly, prices are reasonable, and it's definitely worth a visit. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Premium tempura set - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

This was such a yummy experience! It was a rainy day in Pasadena and we wanted something warm. I had been here a few times and knew it was a solid tempura place. It's small but mighty! Expect a small wait we waited maybe 20mins on a weekday lunch hour. You can select tempura on rice, on the side, with soup or however your heart desires. Small dining room but has some patio tables as well. I would recommended for parties of 4 or less. Anything larger and you're basically taking up the whole restaurant. Parking is validated in you park in the ArcadeLane lot or you can be a local and find local street parking or lots. If you love tempura come here! It's got so many choices for tempura and some sushi options. I went for the beef udon this time and it didn't disappoint. It was giving a slight hint of Maragame Udon but with its specialty dish of tempura with rice you really can't get anything like it. The staff is always so friendly and you'll have plenty of time here. No rushing you. Just enjoy your tempura and keep going back. read more

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Stopped by on the recommendation of a local colleague while in town for business. Hole in the wall spot with friendly staff. I had the special tempura bowl to-go which was probably not the best choice given the batter got soggy. However the flavor was good and it was a solid Asian comfort meal. Four stars and will try in the restaurant the next time. read more

Was recommended this place by a friend! We were excited to eat here, because of all the hype. Around dinner time, it was quite popular. There's street parking, but I believe there is a parking garage nearby that you can get your parking validated. We were very lucky to get street parking and at the time didn't have to pay for it! We got on a wait list, and it was probably about a 15-20 minute wait. There is VERY limited seating indoors and outdoors. We ended up sitting outdoors, and fortunately they had heating lamps outside to sit close by. They were able to accommodate our party of 5 by putting two tables together. We ended up ordering the special tempura bowl. It felt like I was transported to Japan by how authentic the flavors were and the simple, but beautiful presentation of food. The things that stood out were the light tempura and the deep fried, but almost soft boiled egg. The fish was very fresh. We did add ikura, and I think this was a good call for extra texture in the dish. I typically share dishes with my partner, but I feel I could have easily finished this bowl on my own. Therefore, I felt the portions leaned on the smaller side. We also got the udon with egg. I felt like this dish was probably something I would pass on. It was very, very simple compared to the special tempura bowl (even that was somewhat simple). The soup was more on the sweet side, which I prefer my soups to be on the savory side. Broth felt light and clean. Not too many toppings in here, really it's just the fishcake and egg. We also had a dipping soba noodles to share. I also felt that was pretty simple, and also something I'd skip. Overall, I enjoyed dining here, and on top of that, the name is so entertaining to say "Carlos Junior"! read more

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My 2,000th Yelp review has finally arrived! It is now in the history books. Wuhoo! I am so excited to dedicate this review to my dear long-time friend and work colleague who loves tempura. You know who you are. This one is for you my friend! I was introduced to this place by another work colleague who was recently here for a farewell lunch in celebration of another work colleague who decided to move onwards to new adventures. Cool beans! Thanks for the introduce! It is located at Arcade Lane on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena. Free street parking is available for now, but paid parking stations are coming in 2026. Plaza parking is in the back located on Green St. I'm not sure if it's free or not. I came here about 30+ minutes before closing time on a Wednesday night. Funny, I walked right past it thinking they were somewhere inside the plaza and not right out front of the plaza. It turns out they took over the corner spot where Tayuka Japanese Restaurant used to be. Sad to see Tayuka have closed its doors. It was a full house, but no lines. Several tables inside and outside, but still limited due to the small space. They have a waitlist open until a certain time. Upon entry, I was greeted right away. I wanted my order to-go so the nice young lady handed me a to-go menu. It had limited items on the to-go menu compared to the full menu for dine-in. I wonder if I could have ordered from the full menu. Hmmm? I'll have to ask next time. I got the Mixed Sashimi Bowl with miso soup for my eldest daughter. I chose the Special Tempura Bowl with miso soup for me. Water while I was waiting. Wait time was short. Got my order in less than 15 minutes. As for both bowls, at first glance, I thought they were small especially for the price of over $20 per bowl. Now to the taste, both were amazingly delicious and tasty. My daughter and I goobled them up within 15 minutes LOL. Either we were super hungry or it was that good that we couldn't stop eating or perhaps both. Special Tempura Bowl had 1 white fish, 2 shrimp, pumpkin, kakiage (mixed seafood tempura), seaweed, shishito pepper, and half-boiled egg over white rice, and miso soup. Tempura were scrumptious and quite tasty. A couple more tempuras would have been better. Batter was amazing! Not too oily, just perfect! Unfortunately, due to the condensation within the to-go box, the tempura got whimpy. The batter was no longer crispy. Whatever sauce they placed on the rice, it was very good, too. I normally don't take down rice that fast, but I did that night LOL. Mixed Sashimi Bowl came with 6 slices of fishes over a bed of sushi rice... 2 salmon, 2 tuna, and maybe 2 yellowtail. Fishes were very fresh and tasted good. The cuts could be have a bit thicker or at least offer 3 more slices of fishes. Not a lot of sushi rice which was preferred. Overall, our meal was quick and delicious at almost $50 total. It is a bit pricey IMHO. Will I be back you wonder? Yes, of course I will. Gotta to eat the Special Tempura Bowl again, but next time in it's freshest form for dine-in. I'll be back to eat with my friend! Btw, there is a cool story behind Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior and its humble beginnings. Go read all about it! Oh, one more thing, they give steps on how to eat tempura and all deliciously. Very cute with nice visuals! Happy Reading! read more

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It is a blessing to have Japan-level tempura in Pasadena. The thing to get is their tempura, obviously. Order whatever set suits your palate and appetite, and I most often order the Special Tempura set, which comes with a shrimp, bay scallop, white fish, shishito pepper, kabocha, and seaweed perfectly fried to a light crisp. At times, I opt for a bigger set (Premium) or one focused on what I want the most (Shrimp). I highly recommend the tempura plates over the bowls, because it's just easier to enjoy when the tempura is not crowded into a single bowl. The sets come with a miso soup with maitake mushrooms, which is an elegant upgrade. Their tare (soy dipping sauce) is phenomenal, a bit smoky and savory with a lot of dashi. They also offer udon/soba and sushi, which we order regularly because it is nice variety, but I don't consider this their strong suit. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Plain udon - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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