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

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

There is a parking structure in the Arcade lane, but I am unsure where that truly is. However, there is plenty of street parking nearby that you can park. I parked in the Pasadena Playhouse structure. $5.99 for parking, and you scan a QR code to pay then exit. When you arrive at the restaurant, they have a self check-in kiosk asking for how many people in your party. You must have all of your party members there to be seated. The inside has a few bar top seats, and about 8 (2 seater) tables inside. Larger parties will be grouped in tables of 4, kind of hard to seat everyone together in your party (we were okay with that, we were all friends of one another). Outside had heating lamps and had about 4-5 tables that can seat 2-4 people. I ordered their jumbo shrimp tempura udon, hot. I must admit, their jumbo shrimp is an extremely large prawn! Their udon noodles were just right, I didn't care for the broth. The rest of my party ordered their shrimp tempura plate/bowl, california roll, and a sashimi bowl. I also asked for a coke, but they didn't tell me it wasn't refillable. That's the reason for my 4 stars. Their california rolls were larger than normal because my godson had a hard time grabbing it with his chopsticks (knows how to use it because he had sushi for dinner the night before). The shrimp tempura plates and bowls were filled to the top! It came with rice, miso soup, and an egg. For a party of 7, our bill was $$$. There are two restrooms, one says woman only and the other is gender neutral. They're narrow, but normal door width to go inside. I didn't see any gratuity added for my party of 7, but they did ask if we wanted separate table bills or just put onto one tab. We enjoyed our time, and will be coming back to try other items! read more

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AN ALL TIME FAVORITE JAPANESE FOOD JOINT FOR ME, ESPECIALLY FOR TEN-DONS (TEMPURA BOWLS)! This place is definitely a treat for me and I think about the Ten-Don from here ALL the time. This was my third time having Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior, but my first time at this location in Pasadena. Not too many seats in this location, maybe able 6-8 tables and a bar section. There was a full house when I can around on the weekend afternoon but I didn't have to wait too long. The servers were friendly with when we came in and got us situated as soon as there were seats available. We each ordered a tendon with mine being the Premium Tempura Bowl with added Ikura, a true mountain of food, comprised of tempura of Conger Eel from Japan, 2 shrimp, a mix of scallop/squid, seaweed, shishito pepper, and egg, all stacked on top of a bed of rice and garnished completely with ikura, shiny orange orbs of salmon roe. The tempura and subsequently, the rice below, is coated in their special tempura sauce. I love this tendon. Each bite is pure indulgence and food texture heaven; crispy tempura coating, enclosing soft, warm seafood, with a savory and slightly sweet sauce, and an burst of umami from the ikura. I also love eating the rice soaked and mixed with the tempura sauce and the yolk from the half boiled egg. Each meal is served with a miso soup, a comforting accompaniment to this delicious dish. Would definitely recommend going all out and getting any of the tendon topped with the ikura! Can't wait to go back! read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Premium Tendon with Ikura - 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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Ordered: - Special tempura bowl (4/5): My gf really enjoyed the scallop tempura in particular as that was the first time we've ever seen this before! - Premium tempura bowl (5/5): While there's less variety in the bowl (such as less veggie tempura than the special bowl) it does include a huge piece of eel. I was super full after this bowl. Overall (4/5): A bit pricey for what you get but the tempura certainly is well made. We did wish that the bowl and plate options were the same price since we prefer the form factor of the plate - it's definitely a decision to charge an extra $1 for the plate option when they both contain the same things! Since we got the bowls, we were forced to eat most of the tempura in order to dig through to the delicious sauce-soaked rice. This also made the tempura feel oiler/heavier than if we were able to break it up with something else. Portion sizes were decent and we got lucky and didn't have to wait at all on a weekday lunch. Would come back if we were in the area and craving some solid tempura but otherwise probably wouldn't come out of my way for this. Service was good and since we came at opening ambiance was pretty quiet. read more

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

TL;DR: delicious tendon, quick service but the prices are a little high We rolled up here after my friend told me about this spot in Torrance and I realized that they had another location in Pasadena. We went for a fairly late weekday lunch and got a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. The menu has a few options, mostly variations on how you want to consume tempura, and some lunch sets. There are also explanations on the wall on how you should best consume your tempura order! Pretty cute. There are two kinds of pickles on the table: ginger and also celery. You can help yourself to as much as you want, and they're pretty good. Regular tendon: this came with two shrimp, fish and a bunch of vegetables, and a tempura egg. It's drenched in sauce and comes with some yuzu on top of the egg which really elevated the entire bowl. Yum! Premium tendon: I ordered this because I wanted the anago, and it also came with bay scallops, shrimp, vegetables and a tempura egg as well. I love me some anago but this bowl was almost $30! It's worth it, but that's still pretty pricey for lunch. The anago and scallops were really good. I liked everything in that bowl. Service was efficient, just friendly enough to be good but not too friendly and warm. I read other reviews that there are lines so a late lunch seems to be the ticket here. I would definitely go back again if I lived in LA. read more

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

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The tendon was delicious and very filling, with a light citrus note (yuzu or lemon) in the sauce that added a refreshing touch. It was raining and cold that day, and I was asked to wait outside while my husband parked, which felt a bit uncomfortable, especially since the restaurant wasn't very busy. read more

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

Came with friends on a Saturday and they were a little busy. We were the first in line on the waitlist, but considering our big party with limited seating, it took us about 40 minutes to get seated even though the wait said about 11 minutes . A party of four would probably be the biggest party I'd come here with. The food, however, is really good. The tempura took me back to when we had tempura in Japan. I personally do not eat shrimp, so I substituted mine for the fish, which was a great substitute. I also loved their pumpkin tempura. Their hand roll order comes in two pieces and enjoyed that as well. Would only come back with a smaller party. read more

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

So glad Tendon Carlos is now in Pasadena, much closer than driving to Torrance! Recommend check Yelp booking before your go, the restaurant is very small and always a waiting line. We went on after a long day of work, and the crispy tempura just hit the spot! The running egg yolk mixed with rice and the house sauce was so delicious. The picked ginger and famous picked celery were refreshing as always. After a few tries, I still feel eel tasted better when its grilled, it is a bit wasteful to tempura fried the eel filet.. but its just me. read more

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

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If I think about tendon or tempura, I think of Carlos Junior. I found the original location in Torrance on a whim because the Mitsuwa was being moved and I couldn't get the one in their food court. I was with a foodie friend and my god we were amazed. We took the 45 minute drive there a couple days later because we were both craving it again. I'm happy they've opened one up in Pasadena closer to where I am periodically as I've already hit up this location a few times at this point. Service is friendly, and food is mostly consistent with the original location. I love love their celery and ginger sides and also their chili is not too potent so I can put a lot. I keep forgetting whether I like their tendon or tempura sauce more. I need to order both again and do a taste test side by side one of these days. Have brought many friends here over the years and everyone was very happy with the place. Typical interior of a Japanese place. read more

Pasadena, California. Which Latino from Peru can make very good dons with Soba/udon on the side? Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr. Can. Love the story to his business. Chef Carlos Pinto trained in Japan. After settling in the States he opened his first location in Torrance. And he's been a success. He gets the art of making tempura and soba: the bonito broth is on point, the runny egg delicately coats the sushi rice, the tempura lighter and better than what you get in most restaurants. This is a brisk service with diners opting to grab any available seating inside or out This resto (a common business in Japan) serves a variety of tempura, dons, lots of soba and udon choices (cold and hot) something missing in many Japanese restos in the U.S. until now. There are simple sushi rolls and sashimi side dishes also. So you dont leave wanting. The Pasadena location is newer and hope the quality of the tempura gets better -- it's not as light and delicate as what you'd get at the Torrance location. The rice could also improve a bit by giving it a better washing. Service is friendly polite and responsive in the 5 times I've visited. I love coming here when it's 100 out and need a tempura/cold soba fix. The Colorado location is new and it's Packed ....but the genius thing is you can open your Yelp app and get on the wait list. No more Resy and OpenTable hard sells before you get todo your business with the resto. Thank you sooo much Yelp! This is an innovative service that helps diners. ..... ALOT! End of Yelp. read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Mmmmmmm. Finally. 9.21.25 - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

This has to be the best Tempura in Los Angeles and one of the best outside of Japan. Staff is incredibly kind. I ordered the premium tempura bowl that came with unagi (eel). I thought the portion size was great, until the waitress came back to tell me that they served me a smaller eel filet and will bring me another. I thought they might bring me another small piece to "fulfill" the missing amount. Nope. They brought me a whole entire other piece!! Who does that!?? Each and every piece of tempura was so light and flaky and crispy. The "meat" for each was tasty, cooked well, and delicious. The eel was so soft and delicious. I also ordered a side of pumpkin tempura that was delicious. The spicy tuna handroll was simple, straightforward, and excellent read more

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Simple and well done! They just do one thing really well and it works. The interior is a bit small, so wait times can be quite long, expect 30+ min at peak hours. I've been a few times now and really enjoy their rice bowls! It has such a deliciously savory sauce poured over the CRISPY light tempura. The crunch is great and the batter allows the flavor of the veggie/shrimp to shine through. read more

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

Parking - they have parking in the back and they validate!! Okay so first, the inside is pretty small. They have outside seating but it's not good for large parties. We were a party of four and we waited about 30 minutes before we were seated. The service started out food but about five minutes after we sat down the waiter asked us if we would like to move to another table that was bigger. We did not feel like moving since we were settled in and ready to order so we just said that it was okay! But she then insisted that we moved because they had another part coming in. We were a little bit thrown off because we would have happily moved if she just asked us. This is where the service kind of went downhill for us. They kind of forgot about us. They didn't bring our waters and we had to flag them down to order. When they brought us our food, our table did not have any utensils. I had to go back to the table they moved us from to get chopsticks for everyone. Towards the end of the meal - we had to flag them down again to ask for our waters. The restaurant is not even that big. It is one room that fits like five parties so for us to have to flag the waiters down was kind of annoying. We had originally asked for cold water but then she had brought us hot water. Which would've been fine but the cup they gave us had no handle and it was super hot. There was no way to hold the cup and drink it! The food was just okay. It was nothing to write home about and not something I would come back for. Overall, it was a decent experience if you are someone who likes tempura. read more

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Honestly a solid tempura spot. I've heard of this place before in Torrance but I didn't know that they had another location, definitely worth saving time than driving over there. My friend and I both got the Premium Tempura Bowl (w/ rice). I loved all the components that came in the set and a good size portion. read more

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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

One of the best tempura I've had in LA! Special tempura bowl - It came with these tempura: white fish, shrimp, pumpkin, seaweed, shishito pepper, and half boiled egg on top of a bed of rice. Also added ikura since I love it. And a side of miso soup. Really filling. The tempura was light and crispy. As close as I can get tempura like in Japan. Anago tempura cold soba - the soba here is delicious. I like dipping my soba into the broth and it's perfect summer dish as well. The eel was delicious and perfectly battered. It also came with a soft boiled egg on the side. Make sure you're within close vicinity as they quickly call out numbers. We wandered a bit far and almost did not get seated. The wait time was over 30mins so thought we had plenty time to come back. The waitress was kind enough and we got sat at the bar. The place is pretty small and there's parking at the back. Would definitely come back here again! read more

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

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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

Pleasantly surprised and had a very satisfying lunch. I went on a Monday, right around noon, and only waited about 15 mins for a table for 2. What I ate: - Small tempura bowl with Soba noodles: As it was stinkin hot outside, I opted for refreshing soba noodles. The noodles were cooked very nicely. Dipping sauce was nice and salty. It came with some green onions and wasabi. I was pretty blown away by the tempura bowl. It was small, but oh so satisfying. The tempura is not super crispy, as it was doused in the house shoyu, but it was still sooooo good. The best part was the tempura fried soft boiled egg. Cracking the egg open over the rice was perfect ending to the meal Pros: - The food was great! Super satisfying. I thought the combo set was a great meal. My friend and I finished out sets and were so full afterwards - The menu was a mix of sushi and rolls, and tempura with rice or soba/udon. - Pickled things on the table. There was pickled celery and ginger. Nice zingy refreshers - Seating inside and outside on the patio. The patio tables seemed smaller, mostly 2tops. Inside there was a mix of tables, with different parties sitting together at larger tables. There was also bar seating for solo diners - Cute little instruction guide on how to eat your tempura bowl/plate - Price was right - Bottled beer and sake - Staff was super friendly, and at a good pace. Nothing was rushed or too slow Cons: - I'm not sure if there's a parking lot/garage nearby. I lucked out getting street parking right in front - I can imagine there being a longer wait on the weekends or at peak dining times - This drove me crazy while eating, but there was something up with the music they were playing, it kept skipping and I felt like I was having a mini stroke. I was able to say something to the staff, but after a while they finally realized and changed the music - I can't really see this being great as a takeout meal unless you were just opting for sushi. I feel like the tempura would lose all crispy integrity on the drive home Would I come again? Yes read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Tempura bowl and soba noodle combo - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Carlos Jr really said, "Let me save you that drive to Torrance," and honestly? Thank you, king! We came on a Sunday before noon and barely waited. Indoor space is small, plus a handful of outdoor tables with heaters. Bonus: they have high chairs with working seatbelts!! Toddler-friendly without the chaos. We got the small tendon + udon and our little one devoured it. Husband's signature bowl? Delicious. Zero notes. Yes, it's a little pricey, but what isn't nowadays? For the quality and convenience, totally worth it. Parking is in the Arcade parking lot (and they validate). Already planning our next visit. read more

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

I would like to apologize to my friends and Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior for my initial hesitation to trying this place. I don't go out of my way to eat Japanese cuisine as it's not one of my favorite foods, so I had low expectations when my friends and I stopped by here for dinner. I ordered the hot Beef udon with pumpkin tempura on the side. And Oh. My. God. The udon was al dente, the soup was light yet so rich, and the beef was perfect. The tempura was perfectly fried and the dipping sauce was a perfect pair. I couldn't stop eating my dish. I've never had anything like it. It was a great experience and I enjoyed my dinner here! read more

Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior - Hot beef udon with pumpkin tempura on the side - Japanese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Decided to walk down the blocks in search of a new place for lunch. So here I am, they have a wide selection of sashimi's and tempura, as well as udon. Was greeted by a friendly gal walking me to the counter table for me only. I actually like their condiments - the celery and gingers were delicious! The tempura was actually pretty good. The egg was a surprise when I popped it into the rice! read more

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

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Once you've visited Japan, you're always going to compare the food! That's me lol was in the mood for some Japanese food and heard about this tempura place in Pasadena. To be honest, at first I was skeptical but gave it a shot since it did review a lot of positive reviews. We tried the special and chicken tempura bowl. Both were delicious! Perfectly fried veggies/protein over a bed of rice. I love mixing in the raw egg into the rice- perfect lunch. Service was quick on a weekday and we didn't really have much of a wait even though it was busy. Pretty chill and good option for lunch though a little expensive. About $20/bowl. read more

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

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There is street parking and a lot in the back. It's a fairly some restaurant but they have both indoor and outdoor seating. I tried a spicy tuna roll, udon and special tempura plate. I wasn't impressed with the spicy tuna roll, alot of rice and very little tuna. The udon was good but my favorite was the special tempura plate which I guess is what they are known for. The tempura is so crispy. Staff is nice. They do have a bathroom for their customers. read more

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A little gem of a chain to grace Colorado Blvd. If I were to think of a "treat yourself" meal, their Tempura Bowl (or plate) would be one of those meals. With additional ikura on the side. It's comforting, it's rich, and it has so many different flavored pieces that send my tastebuds through a spiral of deliciousness. I'm already known as a slow eater from those who know me best, so when it comes to this bowl, I savor each bite more than the previous bite I ate. When it comes to bowl vs. plate, I would say it's each customer's preference. I have friends who love seeing the different pieces apart from one another whereas I enjoy when everything gets mixed in all at once. Either way, the presentation is always good but the taste never fails. I always look forward to my spontaneous visits to Carlos Junior's. Seating gets a bit limited, so a good pro-tip to is to get there within opening or 30 min after. Weekends get packed but there's more forgiveness and availability over the weekdays. One little error that isn't fully their fault is just when bugs end up flying in from the door being left open and they kind of bother you with how pesky they are flying around. Other than that, I do appreciate that the wait times don't always feel too long and the staff is pretty upfront about the wait of food based on what you order. Hopefully the next visit, I try the soba noodles. Thanks for spreading out to Pasadena. It's a good spot to be. read more

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

My first time going to a Tempura only spot and oh boy it was better than I expected! Lots of options to choose from, I went for the Special Tendon bowl and it was so yummy and so filling. The free side dishes were really good too and also something that you don't typically see at Japanese restaurants. I'm still thinking about how they made that egg tempura....so delicious! Would recommend having a reservation as it gets pretty packed and it's a small space! read more

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

Tasty tempura! They have validated parking available. There's also a Yelp waitlist if the place gets crowded. It is a smaller place with some outdoor seating as well. You get quite a bit of food with the tempura entrees. They're quite tasty and there are pickles tableside. There's a guide at each table at the suggested eating sequence if you're unfamiliar but we just went after it! The tempera batter is crispy but a bit different than what we saw from other Japanese places. Still flavorful and light, just less "bits" read more

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

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Love this place. Seems like the hype has died down so it's possible to walk in and get seated quickly. Parking can be a pain. The food is so fresh and yummy and filling. Love coming here! read more

Park in the back and there's a QR code on the side for free parking. Don't go into the playhouse parking cause it charges per 15min and up to $15.99 per day (from what I remember). Week day there was no line and empty tables you still had to put your name down on the "line" and will not let you sit down until your whole party is there. That was the only annoying part. I get it if there's a ton of people but serious with empty tables to have me just stand until my party (1 person) arrives. That just gives off "elitist vibes". Other than that, the food is really good and the sets are tasty. I got the uni ikura set. It doesn't disappoint and the tempura is done with the perfect amount of crunch and batter. read more

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

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I ordered a Yellowtail Roll, and a Premium Tempura Bowl The Yellowtail roll was really good, fresh tasting yellowtail and the roll was a nice size. They add tempura on top which gives it a nice crunch. I wish there was a bit less sauce on the roll but that's not a deal breaker for me. I'd still recommend to get this. The Premium Tempura Bowl was good overall, a very big size and the egg with rice was an amazing combination. The only thing I didn't enjoy was I felt the tempura itself was heavy/greasy. The breading didn't feel light but still tasted decent. I would probably skip on ordering this and stick to a roll. The ambiance is casual with friendly staff, my bill came out to $52 before tip which I feel is expensive for a I got. read more

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

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This is a pretty small restaurant, but the wait goes by fast. I came Friday evening ~730pm and was still able get seated, eat, and leave before closing. There is indoor and outdoor seating. Premium tempura bowl - the tempura is perfectly fried. It was very crispy and came with miso soup. Tempura soba combo - I really enjoyed the soba and dipping noodles. It was refreshing and goes well with some fried tempura. I would like to try the sushi in the future. Definitely will return. read more

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

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What We've Tried - Special Tempura Plate - Premium Tempura Bowl and Plate I've had this restaurant on my radar when the Torrance location opened. Luckily, they opened one a lot closer so I don't need to make the trek! We made the mistake the first time we were here. We arrived a bit before they opened and thought that going to target before would be a good idea. When we got back (only 15 mins or less after 11AM) they were completely full! Even though we got a table outside, we still had to wait about an hour to get our food. Food was delicious my husband kept saying "it's so good" every few minutes. I prefer the premium over the special tempura because for a few bucks more, you get a big piece of eel from Japan! The bowl version is great for pictures but harder to eat. The plate version keeps the tempura fresh and you get to control how much sauce you want. We will come back! Tip: Flip over the plastic sign and put your name down on the iPad. read more

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

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As per my previous review, we usually like this place. I realize, they've gotten so busy and it looks like they've expanded their outdoor seating. While the food is still pretty good, I think the service is lacking. We were seated outside and after our food was delivered, not one person checked on us. We were going to ask for things but it was so hard to get someone's attention. Even asking for a check was such a mission. If you're going to expand seating, increase your staffing. It's not fair for those who are seated outside because we're getting neglected. read more

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

Lived up to the hype! Great food, friendly service, and comfortable atmosphere. The tempura was the star of the show, great flavor, sauce really compliments the shrimp and veggies. I didn't give it a 5 because the tempura was not super crispy and I prefer more batter. I enjoyed the soba with the dipping sauce. read more

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

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Great place to get high quality tempura with a great variety of options. I personally prefer the tempura by itself to maintain its crispness over the other option where you get it in a bowl with sauce already drizzled over it but that's just my personal preference. The sauce is still available but at least then you have more control over how much you apply. Nonetheless, the space is actually very small but I appreciate how patient the staff is given the difficult circumstances they probably face on very busy evenings. read more

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

There's not that many places in the U.S that specializes in tempura Don and that needs to change. Luckily we do at least have one. I've been to the Torrance location, but this was my first time here. There was a wait, but there was plenty of things to do around as we waited. Premium Tempura bowl (5/5): This comes with eel, shrimp,egg, mixed seafood, and miso soup. I thought last time was okay, but this one just blew my mind. The tempura was fried to perfection and there was just so much flavor with everything. Overall I really enjoyed me experience here. read more

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

When it comes to Japanese food, tempura is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of my favorites. However, with Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior, I'll make an exception. The space is small and intimate, with less than 30 seats in-house which can often lead to a wait during peak hours. However, judging from the willing parties who do wait, it's well worth it! I had the Tempura Udon Combo Set which came with 3 shrimp, pumpkin, shishito pepper, and seaweed. The tempura was fried to perfection in a way I've never experienced before; the batter was light, crispy and enhanced the ingredients nicely. I opted for the udon to be served cold, and was glad I did, because the noodles were so refreshing and paired fantastically with the dipping sauce. My husband had the special tempura bowl which came with mixed seafood tempura, and other fixings, which he enjoyed nicely as well. But the real cherry on top of this excellent dining experience? For music, they were blasting X-Japan in the restaurant. I may have been calmly eating tempura on the outside, but my inner Japanese-rock, visual kei fangirl was head banging the entire time. read more

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

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I'm a HUGE fan of the original location and was ecstatic to hear that one has opened up closer to me in Pasadena. Only until recently have I had the chance to go, since I've heard horror stories about the wait. It's been about a year or so now and there's still a wait. For context, my friends and I dined here on a weekday and our group of 3 had around a 20 minute wait and we came shortly after they just opened. Also, FYI, the check in tablet is underneath their laminated info flyer on the podium stand. You have to flip it up. We were dummies and didn't read the entire thing... We did the patio dining since it was the quickest option for seating, but it can get crowded too. This location is quite small. We got the: 1) Carlos Tempura Roll with Ikura: -It's a California roll with lobster kakiage (mixed tempura) and fish roe on top. -Everyone loved this and it comes with extra tempura powder on the side. Goes great with the sweet teriyaki-like sauce that is drizzled on it, but can never go wrong with adding in soy sauce and wasabi (it's not the cheap tube wasabi, but it's not grated horse radish either). 2) Special Tempura Plate: -This comes with a side of rice, miso soup, and the grated radish tempura sauce. -The actual tempura includes: white fish, 2 shrimp, pumpkin, kakiage (mixed seafood tempura), seafood, shishito pepper, and half boiled egg. -Obviously not the easiest dish to share amongst 3 people, but we weren't super hungry and wanted to sample a little bit of everything. -Honestly, the bowl is definitely more eye catching and filling from what I remember. However, it's still nice to dip and enjoy the tempura with the sauce. -Everything is delicately crisp without being too oily and the tempura isn't super doughy or thick, accentuating the shrimp (though the tails were really sharp and not edible like other restaurants as what my friend stated). The quality and taste are there, but it just wasn't as much of WOW factor as my first visit to the original location. It took a bit longer for the rolls to come out in comparison to the plate and the dry was bit overcooked and mushy. I don't mind giving them another visit, but my default will always be the OG. read more

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So so so happy that this Pasadena location opened!!! There is a parking lot in the back that is free with validation. I've came here twice! I order the combo to get noodles and tempura!! I ordered the warm udon one day and the cold soba, they were both delicious!! The tempura comes with rice and of course their tempura is the highlight! It's crispy, flavorful, and the perfect portion size. The inside is small with limited seating, I've had to join a waitlist the last two times I've come, but haven't had to wait very long. read more

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