I love Ramen in and shapes and sizes and this place takes the cake! My favorite is the dipping ramen with the spicy broth. We usually add some roasted garlic, extra spicy tan tan and the Brussel sprouts to add to our ramen as well. Those extra touches make this a meal you can eat twice. And for whatever reason, I think leftover Tiger Den is as good as eating it fresh. The vegetables soak up all the broth and it's even more of a flavor explosion! When visiting Tiger Den we usually try and get there early so there isn't too long of a wait. You put your name on the clipboard outside and then someone calls your name when it is time. There have been days we have gotten there late and then they are out of some of our favorite ramen broths. If you haven't ventured out to Chinatown this is a great reason to get out there! And check out one of the amazing ice cream places around for dessert. read more

After seeing so many reviews, I was so excited to try to this place. And while it was good, I don't know if I'll rush to go back. We had the Brussels sprouts (amazing), three different ramens, and sake. While the food was good, I won't say it was outstanding. I had the spicy miso ramen and it lacked the depth of flavor and spice I was craving. Again, it wasn't bad it just wasn't that noteworthy. The other issue we had was the service. Our waiter was attentive at the beginning but towards the end of the meal our waiter disappeared and we had to flag someone down after 20 minutes to get the check. Again, none of this was bad, I'm just not as impressed as I'd hoped. read more

I live in the area - Tiger Den is not a favorite ramen hut of mine. I eat here out of the sheer popularity of the place with my friends (and also it means we can hit up Aqua for some ice cream afterwards = YUM!!). Tiger Den's atmosphere is pretty cool and they serve saki, so my friends love it. I'm always cool to go because it's just right down the street for me. Sometimes there's a wait to get in - they manage the line quickly so don't be deterred - you will not be waiting for long - you do need to have all members of your party present (which should be standard etiquette for anyone dining locally, in my opinion). The ramen is simply mediocre - the entire menu, actually. I've pretty much tried every ramen option - Spicy Miso and TanTan-men are my favorite. The spice level on the Spicy Miso is not consistent - it'll range anywhere from a red forehead to hotdog water. My absolute favorite thing on the menu is the Takowasa - I've often considered ordering three and having that be my meal to avoid the ramen. To be quite honest, the staff could be a little nicer, too ... I mean, we don't have to eat there and when another restaurant with a "cool" look opens up right down the street, with attitudes like that, we just might never. It's easy to judge a book by it's cover ... once. read more

I heard people talking about tiger den and how good it was so I tried it. I thought it was a huge disappointment. I ordered extra egg and pork belly and the food was cold. I had the takoyoki and it had a strange taste and it was cold as well. Jinya and ramen ichi is by far so much better read more

Tiger Den - Takoyoki and ramen - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

I can't say enough good things about this place. ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE. The atmosphere, the food, the service. You start off by putting your name on the list because it's a small place so it's ALWAYS packed. But worth the wait. The wait doesn't take that long because the type of scene is quick. People eat and people leave. Not much of hanging around. I think it's a habit even. I start off with a bunch of apps. All priced below 5. The Brussels sprouts are my new addiction. I will keep coming back here for the rest of my life because of these. I never even knew I liked them. They are roasted with a spicy miso/ Thai chili sauce that I can bathe in. Mmmm so delicious. The pork gyozas are a must! They are paired with a mild sauce which is out of this world. So crunchy yet so delicate. The ribeye skewers is cooked perfectly paired with a sauce that will have you asking for more. I think I have tried every appetizer on the menu at least twice. They even have a chicken skin skewer that sounds bad but it's oh so worth it. The soups then selfs are large, plentiful and rich with flavor. They have about 9 different kinds. Ranging from spicy to vegetable broth. They have these big pork slices in them which makes my mouth water just remembering them. The noodles are made right in the back so it's freshness guarantee. Please try it and thank me later! read more

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This was my first time visiting Texas and my friend that lived here was really excited to try this place out with me. The ramen shop opens at 5 and there was already a line and a sign in sheet so I was excited to see what the place had to offer. The ambiance inside was delightful and cozy. The lighting was low and it had a friendly atmosphere. When we were there we ordered the enoki mushrooms and takoyaki as appetizers dipping ramen and the spicy miso ramen. I'm disappointed to say that the main dishes: spicy miso ramen and the spicy dipping ramen did not blow my mind. The soup for the dipping ramen was good but the noodles were very very dry, as though they left it out for a while and was not freshly made. The spice level was a food level for it though. The spicy miso ramen tasted a little like any other ramen shop. The appetizers were better than expected. If we were to go back we would probably end up trying other appetizers instead of the ramen. read more

Tiger Den - Enoki mushrooms - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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There is an obnoxious wait time which only gets longer if you arent a party of 2. But once you get in the service is amazing and prompt. You can pick any ramen and it'd be delicious. we tried the garlic black bean and tantanmen ramens and they were amazing. All the ingredients were well cooked with great spices. Try it and you won't be disappointed. read more

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This place doesn't accommodate vegans. Asked to substitute ramen noodles for rice and was told I can't do that. That I could put the ramen on the side and order a cup of rice. Seriously??? What am I gonna do with the noodles on the side. Seems like a waste to be honest. I'm pretty sure the cost of the noodles is more than a cup of rice... It's almost 2020 people. Get with it. The veggie broth was ok. read more

I've been here three times and unfortunately it just does not live up to my expectations. I'll come back, it's not awful but it's not the best either. It's very close to me they're open late and my favorite are those panda doughnuts, they are amazing but the ramen... I'm sorry it's just not that great, plus those lines I always have to wait at least 20 minutes. Service is great I must say. Had the Tsukemen(spiciest in the menu) and it was just way to spicy, I mean way too spicy to the point where I didn't even want to eat the broth. The noodles weren't as thick as the other Tsukemen dishes I've tried at others places, it wasn't bad though just different. I do like that they put a good amount of toppings. What is real turn off for me personally is that they do not offer nor substitute their pork for chicken. I like chicken over pork strips/belly so here I have to give away my pork to friends/family that accompany me. Overall it's just okay, the miso broth is okay, it just does not pack that punch of flavor like others and the spicy is just way too spicy that I just didn't enjoy it :/. You're not awful tiger den, but you're just not great either. read more

Tiger Den - Tsukemen - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Came here for a dinner with my bf and he loved it. Won't stop talking about it days after and got mad that I didn't take him here sooner. Satisfied our ramen cravings read more

Tiger Den - Tonkotsu & Spicy Miso - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Well based on my previous review, i do like the appetizers here and the Brussels sprouts! However, as a ramen shop, I haven't been coming back. I do like the dipping ramen here, but all the other ramen options were not for me. I took my family here and they weren't completely satisfied with the flavor broth. Plus the wait here is always long, not enough space. I have been going to other ramen shops because of that. read more

So delicious! Really authentic! Great vibe, excellent service definitely coming back!

Ramen Ramen Ramem....I dream about you all the time. I've been lucky enough to try out Tiger den before it fully opens to mass. This type of restaurant/bar is called an Izakaya, which is type of Japanese drinking establishment that also serves food to accompany the drinks. Yup, drinking with eating!!! When you first walk into the restaurant, you'll notice the amazing décor and the openness feeling due to the high ceilings. On either side of the walls you can find artwork. There is plenty of seating which includes both booth and tables. There is a window to the kitchen where you'll be able to see the food being prepared. I was able to try out the Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen. Tiger den makes noodles in-house. I was able to take a sneak peak the amazing machine that actually spins the noodles (very cool). The broth was light and flavorful. It wasn't so salty which I like compared to other places. The egg was cooked to perfection as the yolk was boiled just enough to be slightly runny. I saw the preparation of the sliced pork as it torched to add more flavors. There were also bean sprouts, green onions and mushrooms to give a variation of texture. The noodles where delicious! The noodle size and firmness was perfect for me. It was very similar to the ones I had during my trip to Japan. It's already one of the top places for ramen in Houston. It's simple ramen without any fuss. I can't wait to try out the full menu, which will include Yakatori! I'll update my review next week during the official opening! Big thanks to Linh and Mike for the tasting!! read more

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TERRIBLE HOSTESS THAT ANNOYED ME SO BADLY WE WALKED OUT OF THE RESTAURANT!!!!!!! (It's the chick with the thick winged eyeliner) Wednesday night. Empty tables. Party of two. Start Scene. Hostess: We have the bar open for you. Can you sit at the bar? **Me: No thanks, we don't want to really sit at the bar. Can we have that table over there instead? Hostess: No. You're only a party of 2. **Me: Well you have three other party of 2 right over there, there, and there so why can't we have a table? Hostess: Well, you came in later than them. We want to save it for a party of 3 or 4. **Me: Okay but you already have party of twos in those tables so that's not really fair. I'm not going to stand outside in the cold and I'm not sitting at the bar. Hostess: You can share that table over there with those 4 people. Good grief. We walked out. I could not stand her. Really put a bad taste in my mouth of this place and we ended up having delicious hot soup somewhere else! read more

So my friend and I arrived at 630. Right now you put your name on the clipboard outside. We got in finally at 730. Be prepared to order because if not you'll get put behind the other orders. We ordered ramen and some of their grilled items. I was really happy that we got some grilled items because I was really disappointed by their ramen. Why? Because their noodles were very tough, more like a chinese/vietnamese noodle, which isn't bad, but don't call it ramen. The skimped out on the noodles too, very small serving size for the bowl. The broth was very light, lacking flavor. Toppings were also disappointing. I added an extra egg because that's my favorite topping and it came out cold, and I actually bit into a small piece of shell. Now on the other hand, their grilled stuff was pretty darn good. My favorite was the bacon wrapped tomato and the whole octopus. Dessert was OK, their "doughnut" is just the toppings you put on top of Rice porridge with a dipping sauce. I can't wait until their grand opening, hopefully they will fix some of their problems. read more

I'm so glad I can finally update my review to 5 stars for Tiger Den. The black bean ramen is my fave and the owners have listened to what their clientele wanted. Major kudos to them! The black bean ramen is loaded with garlic and and has a richer creamier broth than Jinya's version plus it's only $8 versus Jinya's at $12.95 for their somewhat comparable Black Tonkotsu. Plus the bowls are filled a lil bit more at Tiger Den. Tiger Den also has quite a variety of fresh grilled apps and changes out some of their apps from time to time to keep their menu fresh and interesting. They also offer more nightly specials on their special outside black board. I find at this time that Tiger Den has the overall best "Real" broth made with bones and best variety of apps for a ramen shop in the greater Houston area. The service has always been very good to excellent with caring and friendly young people that all work harmoniously together. It's also nice to be remembered when I go back each time. read more

Tiger Den - Brussel sprouts - don't take to go. Will smell up your car bad. - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Seeing a lot of mediocre reviews on yelp so here are my 2 cents. Love the decor and bar, reminds me of other ramen shops and the images of Japan they're going for. Best ramen ever? Nope. But how often can you say that about places you've eaten anywhere? For a dedicated ramen shop in Houston, this is pretty darn good. People forget ramen is a comfort food, akin to burgers and chicken fried steak. Sometimes you just want something that tastes good and don't need it to be culinary perfection. This ramen hype built up in the states has turned everyone into ramen experts nitpicking about every little aspect of the dish. I'm willing to call out a place if it's truly missed the mark IMO (see goro & gun review), but some of the low/mediocre marks this place got is undeserved. Ok off my soap box. My wife tried the tonkatsku and I got the spicy miso. I enjoyed the broth for both. The tonkatsku broth is definitely lighter, but I wouldn't call it bland as I can see that they're not going for the super fatty styles of other places. The noodles were great; they are thin, and is definitely home made and I can taste the freshness. We tried eel, wings and beef tongue appetizers also. Small portions so a little pricey for what you get, but all 3 were tasty. I'll definitely come back but hopefully the wait gets better (we didn't have to wait but got there at 5pm Friday) and would just get the ramen dishes. Just thankful Houston has a truly dedicated ramen shop we can call our own now, with seemingly more to come. read more

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I've had Tiger Den bookmarked for some time now...mmmmmmm! So worth the wait! I tried the TanTan-Men spicy ramen which came with the soft-boiled egg, pork belly ground pork and lots of yummy veggies!! The broth was deliciously flavorful!! The egg noodle were thin and cooked perfectly! I didn't think I was going to order the ramen when I first arrived...I was sorely disappointed by the ramen at Ramen Jin and almost let it get in my head that noone could do ramen the way I could ;P! Glad I talked myself into it! I also tried the grilled beef tongue! Ohhhemmmgeee! This was very tasty...sliced thin enough, cooked just rare enough and seasoned so well...yum in da tums! The price was not bad, the place is exactly how I imagined it would be...limited seating, a long communal table in the middle, a wait list clipped outside of the door. They seem to have quite a following...add me to that list please! read more

Tiger Den - TanTan-Men #spicynoodlesrule - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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It was my first time coming to this location last week and I have to say it was worth the long wait outside. Since the weather has been so chilly my boyfriend and I were craving ramen. So we made our way here based on a recommendation from a friend. We went there at 7 pm on a Friday night so we waited outside for 45 minutes. It is first come first served so you can't make a reservation. We offered to share with another group of 2 so it made getting a table easier. Ambience: The restaurant has an edgy artsy vibe, from their walls to their menus. I loved their light fixtures too. The restaurant was definitely packed so it felt crowded and loud but thats to be expected on a friday night. Service: I felt that our waiter was excellent and very kind to us. He made sure that we were all settled and were enjoying our food. He was quick to serve us as well. My boyfriend ordered a special dish so his took a bit longer but not by much. Food: I ordered the Veggie Shoyu Ramen which is great for people that don't eat meat. If you are vegan however be sure to ask for it without the egg. The mushrooms in this dish were fantastic. I had never tried that kind before and I loved the texture! My boyfriend also enjoyed his ramen as well. For dessert we ordered the doughnuts which were beyond fresh and tasty. Definitely recommend people get it! Prices: I felt the pricing was extremely fair and low conpared to places like Jinya and Nao Ramen. Jinya gives you a much larger portion but Tiger's Den was plenty for my stomach. Parking: There is plenty of parking spaces however be careful of when you come here. On a friday night the lot can fill up fast so you might have to drive around. Overall I recommend that you check this place out! The food was great and we left satisfied. read more

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Hated how the owner runs her business. When I arrived to the establishment, we wrote our name on the waitlist. There were people who were also a party of two who arrived after us. She would seat a party of two if they are willing to seat with another party of two... even if they arrive after the people are are not willing to share a table... I thought this was very bad practice, because there were people who would just arrive, and doesn't mind to be seated with other, and got in right away.. The owner, in other words, forces you to sit with others, or you won't eat anytime soon.. we were forced into sitting community, without even knowing it, until it was too late.. The way around it? Bring a party of three or four, anything less, there will be a wait, anything more, you will be jammed into a small booth.. Oh, the food? It was only mediocre, we had the following: - Pork Jowl - this is pretty flavorful and delicious - Gizzards - gizzards were okay, the gizzards were quite tender, and flavoring wasn't bad - Squid - squid was cooked well in butter, and flavorful - Tonkotsu - the tonkotsu was okay, not that flavorful, and I didn't care for it much.. the eggs were somewhat undercooked and the pork belly was lacking dimension I'm most likely won't return to this establishment. Not because the food was mediocre, but because the owner sucks. The remaining of the stuff was nice and helpful.. but the owner is something else. read more

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I went for dinner here one night last week. My order was the Tonkatsu ramen with corn as an add on. For an appetizer I tried the Brussels sprouts and they were very flavorful with a nice roasted taste. When the Tonkatsu arrived it was in a big bowl and looked good and it tasted even better. The flavor of the broth was surprisingly good and I cleared the bowl. The ramen noodles were special and this helped make a very good meal. For a dessert I tried some of their Pandan donuts that came with a green custard for dipping. They were light and oh so tasty. Asian beignets is what went through my mind while eating them except they were lighter than beignets. I could eat them like potato chips. The green custard was also very good with them. This was a lot of very good food for the money. I am not an expert on Asian food and don't eat it often. I enjoyed this meal. read more

Bad customer experience~let customer wait when they still have table available! We got there at 9:40 Sunday night and that time they still had two booth available, nobody was waiting at that time but the hostess still gave us an attitude and put us wait because we only had two people! And we waited around 40 minutes,but one of the booth was available all the time, when we seated we only spent 30minutes to eat! I just don't get it, y'all close at 11pm, why y'all just let us waste that 40 minutes instead of seat us att he beginning!That's not make any sense to me! read more

Tiger Den - one bowl of Ramen is not enough for one person, feels like only one bite lol~ - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was reaaally excited when I heard about a ramen place opening up in Chinatown last year, but it took me until tonight to finally try this place out because of all the mixed reactions. The verdict? Very underwhelming. We ordered the spicy cucumber, some chicken skewers, the tonkotsu ramen, and the spicy miso ramen. The spicy sauce that came with the cucumber was yummy and it made for a very fresh and tasty appetizer. The chicken skewers were pretty good. On to the ramen.. my tonkotsu wasn't bad, but the broth just wasn't anything special. It was lacking that creamy, savory, pork-y goodness I've grown to love at other places. The noodles were chewier than I expected or wanted, and I usually love my noodles al dente. The chashu was too thin to my liking and did not pair up very well with the broth. The only thing in the bowl that I really liked was the ajitama. NOM. I tried a bit of my friend's spicy miso broth and I couldn't tell much difference in flavor between his and mine, besides a touch of spiciness. The price wasn't too bad, it all came to about $24 before tax/tip. They just need to work on the flavor of the pork broth to make a lasting impression. The other menu items seemed stronger than the ramen. I wish we had ordered the squid teriyaki! Also, the restaurant is very loud and can get cramped if you come with one other person - parties of two are seated at a long table where people touch elbows and listen to each others conversations. It might be better to come in a group of four or more so you get your own booth. We waited about 20 minutes before my name got called. It's nice to have a ramen option like this now, but Houston needs to up its ramen game! :P read more

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I definitely don't consider myself a ramen expert, but I've had ramen from Ramen Tatsuya and Ippudo, so I can ~kind of~ compare. Don't come to Tiger Den expecting to be blown away by the ramen here, but expect to get decent ramen at decent prices. The tonkotsu ramen ($8) came with two slices of cha su (pork belly), some wood ear, bamboo, and half a soft boiled egg. The broth was milky, not too oily and lightly flavored. I find a lot of ramen from other places too salty, but this one was not. The flavor of the broth here was lacking compared to Ippudo and Ramen Tastuya, though. I didn't want to bathe in it (and drink it all up :9) like when I did went to those other places. The cha su was delicious! Flavorful, fatty and charred on the sides...*drool* I just wish they gave more than two thin slices. My only complaint is with the noodles. I normally like chewy noodles, but the ones here were a bit TOO chewy. At least you don't have to worry about slurping up your ramen with lightning speed to avoid soggy noodles, I guess? Tiger Den might not have the best ramen ever, but it's decent for Houston if you ever get a craving. Come early and sign your name up to avoid long waits! read more

Tiger Den - Tonkotsu ramen :p - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

I came here when it first opened, especially since it was one of the first. I liked it but didn't like waiting in long line for a table. Hadn't been back there in over a year and had made my rounds to all the other new ramen places that opened up so it seemed like a good time to retry and be able to compare it against the others. Likes: - Pork belly portion: the Tonkotsu comes with three sizable, delicious slices when other places might only give you one - Dipping ramen: this is legit; it's off menu but you can order it; heads up it's SPICY - I'm a wimp and couldn't eat it but husband loved it - Broth/noodle ratio: I love broth and at most places I'm out of broth before I finish my noodles leaving me helpless; they give a good amount of broth! - Service: fairly quick and servers checked in often Dislikes: - Seating: because they're so busy, they're picky on where you sit; there was only 2 of us and made us sit at the bar...the only table open was reserved for groups 3+; plus side is that we actually ended up liking sitting at the bar and seeing how they made the food - Wait: luckily we went in the middle of the week so not too bad, but weekends can be a pain; make sure to write your name on the board outside to hold your spot We were so stuffed from our ramen, but having sat at the bar and watching make the food in the kitchen, I want to try some of their grilled items next time - the grilled squid looked awesome...wonder if it's as good as it looks? read more

Tiger Den - Dipping ramen (off menu) - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Was not impressed at all. We waited more than 30 mins outside just for a party of six. I wouldn't have minded the wait if the food was good. Everything seemed to be lacking salt or flavor in general. I got the fried octopus balls, pork gyoza and tonkatsu ramen. I did not enjoy them too much. The meat in the ramen was pretty good but the noodles were kind of tough like they were undercooked. Waiter was very friendly but hardly checked on us and took forever to get our check and to go containers. We were ready to leave for a long time but we couldn't find the waiter to ask for our check. read more

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WARNING: IT'S NOT RAMEN! I ordered the spicy miso "ramen." The broth was good, especially once I dumped some chili pepper powder into my soup and let the spice permeate the soup. The egg was perfectly soft boiled and the pork deliciously tender. My biggest peeve was the non-ramen noodles. My friend noted that they looked like they were "manufactured and cooked from a package." Though slightly disappointed, I ate it all and slurped it all. And on another note, I think it's weird that they seated us first at the long table in the center wedged between two different parties despite there being ample seating at booths. Weird.... read more

(Longest review ever, sorry!~ ^_^" ) Tiger Den sits in Chinatown's Dun Huang Plaza, opening exclusively for dinner starting at 5:30pm to serve ramen and small bites like skewers. The noodles are the skinny, firm, yet chewy version that I prefer for ramen and are made in house by machine. The atmosphere and decor is really a step above most restaurants in Bellaire, and it feel like I'm eating in California, or dare I say... Japan! I am by no means a ramen connoisseur, but I have been to several ramen shops in the past (including Japan), and I think Tiger Den is serving some mean ramen :P My favorite ramen item is the Tan-Tan ramen! The broth is spicy enough to make your lips go a bit numb. Compared to the other choices, this ramen is the most unique. It's a bit on the salty side, but it's still tantalizingly delicious! The chasu pork slices each have a hefty strip of fat (which is what most people drool for), but even the meat itself melted in my mouth. I liked the addition of the spicy minced pork; it made the meal feel like it had substance, haha~ ^_^ All ramens come with half an Ajitsuke (soft-boiled) egg, which has a softer-than-molten yolk and creamy white. A side order of Ajitsuke egg will yield two halves of eggy goodness. The Garlic Black Bean ramen certainly delivered a huge punch of garlic flavor, but compared to the Tan-Tan ramen, it was a little ho-hum for me without the splash of spiciness. Both ramens came with a generous serving of mushrooms and cabbage (brownie points!). I tasted the broths of the Spicy Miso and Tonkatsu ramen, and I still like Tan-Tan the best :) Time for the skewers and appetizers! Ask the waiter for the day's appetizers or look at the chalkboard menu outside. The takoyaki is a must try-- it comes to the table piping hot with a creamy interior, flavorful mayo drizzle, and dancing bonito flakes. The baby octopus appetizer is something to try as well: super chewy, sweet, and savory.. nothing quite like popping whole mini octopi into your mouth, haha~ The takowasa is octopus sashimi (raw) mixed with wasabi and served with nori (seaweed) sheets. No idea if you're supposed to roll them in the nori, but it tasted fresh and delish~ :D Both the baby octopus and takowasa are pretty unique, so try them! The chicken skin skewer was crispy and had a great salt & pepper flavor. Although I'm kind of scared of beef tongue, the beef tongue appetizer was pretty good and surprisingly creamy. Pretty much all the skewers are served with a lime and mustard sauce, but they are flavorful enough without them. :3 The walls sport black and white calligraphy, while the booths are made of wood. There's an "earthy" feel to the space, but the dim lighting and upbeat or smooth music makes it feel like a bar. The kitchen is visible, so you can watch them assemble the ramen bowls and grill the skewers (yay, fun!). For solo diners or couples, there is a bar area with stools lining the kitchen. If you come after 6:30pm when Tiger Den starts to get packed, sign your name on the waiting list outside. Be prepared to share tables with strangers and raise your voice. It gets difficult to hear your friends over the hustle and bustle during peak times-- but no matter! You guys should be busy happily slurping away at your bowls anyways ;D If you come right when Tiger Den opens (5:30pm), the place is empty with zero wait time. However, the busy atmosphere and crowd really does make the experience, and to me, the food tastes better later into the night. We came in once at 5:30pm, and I felt like the chef didn't have enough time to "warm up." The broth was okay, but nothing like when we went during peak times! Tiger Den has earned the approval of my family as well as my ramen guru friend with both its food and overall experience. Definitely taking my out-of-town friends here when they visit. I bet this place will be impossible to dine at when the weather gets colder. What's better than nomming on a steaming bowl of ramen in the winter? ... That's what I thought. Better get your fix now-- check Tiger Den out! ^o^ read more

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I went here when it first opened and also a few times after the reopening. The lady who works here is super nice and always greets me when I come. It's only open for dinner time so get there before the lines start forming. It always cracks me up that you have to sign your name on the waiting list (posted outside by the door) and wait like it's a club or something. I always get the same thing, the spicy miso ramen. You can add extra toppings for additional cost. The broth is good but not enough noodles in my opinion. It's definitely not the best ramen in Houston but a friend of mine liked it better than the ramen joints in Austin, where ramen is considered the best in Texas. I've heard since the last time I've been here they've added other noodles to the menu too. read more

Tiger Den - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

The tonkotsu was bland; the garlic ramen was a little better. I guess I have an unpopular opinion, but I thought the pandan "donuts" were atrocious. Having spent my childhood in Singapore, where pandan is king, I love the fragrance and flavor more than words can convey. The pandan dipping sauce here is a gross misrepresentation, and the "donuts" were just little pieces of dough that tasted like they'd been fried in recycled oil. I can deal with the lack of depth in their ramen broth, but the dessert was just upsetting. My favorite part of this restaurant was the decor. I sat at a table next to the adorable dog, Hachi, printed on the wall. read more

The owner needs to treat the elderly better. She stuck a party of seven elders in A BOOTH!!!!!! their booth is for four max. There was seven of them!!!! There was no room for them to eat. My friend and I were actually done eating. We were sitting at a communal table in the center with another party. We were leaving and the other couple was going to move down so that the party of seven could move over and have a little more room. The owner told them no because she had a party of ten coming. Can the party of ten not wait? everybody had to wait their turns. You shouldn't be so pushy with your customers once they are in the door. You have to be friendly and accommodating so that they would come back. This place is busy now but I doubt that it will be like this months later. Foood is not the best. It was actually mediocre. I knocked them off a star because of the rude owner. The place itself is very tiny and crowded if you have to share your table with other people. I had spicy miso and friend ordered tonkotsu. I tasted his ramen broth and it was mediocre. It wasn't flavorful. Spicy miso lacked spicy and flavor. The ramen was thin and it was felt like I was eating wonton noodle soup. We ordered their pandan doughnut. They failed to mention that panda is actually a sauce you dip the doughnut in. It didn't taste like doughnut. It was like the fried dau chao quay Vietnamese people eat with their porridge. Imagine that dipped in pandan, not good! service could be a little bit better. They could be more attentive to the customers. We had to ask for spoons, checks, wave them down for desserts... read more

Tiger Den - Spicy miso - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've been to TD twice and the 2nd time the tonkotsu was perfect. The broth was rich and flavorful. The noodles were the perfect consistency. I also recommend the brussel sprouts. I washed it all down with a hot green tea. I could eat there every day. Yes, I like it here. Meet you there? read more

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Came back to try the spicy miso. Definitely more flavor than the tonkatsu. I was seated in the same section I sat last time. Again, bad service. We didn't get served or acknowledged. Waited and waited. read more

Don't dismiss Houston as a ramen-less tundra until you try Tiger Den! I used to be a non-believer, but Tiger Den's tonkotsu ramen showed me the new hope that Houston has a ramen spot that does not shy in comparison to its ramen counterparts in Austin. In short, this is where you can get Houston's best tonkotsu ramen! A small restaurant located in the bustling Dunhuang Plaza, Tiger Den is one of the few restaurants that have a constant waiting crowd outside. Inside is a dimly-lit packed interior with a large community table and many small booths to create a vibe of a hole-in-a-wall ramen joint. Like the restaurant's small interior, the menu is also small and concise with a limited yakitori and ramen selection. I didn't see what exactly was on the menu because I was starving and directly went for the tonkotsu ramen. For me, a successful tonkotsu ramen depends highly on the broth, and Tiger Den's is beyond success! The creamy texture and the perfect flavourness seal the deal for me, and created that Ippudo ramen feel that I had been searching to recreate. Although Tiger Den's ramen is more Chinese-inspired than Japanese authentic especially from its use of thinner Chinese style noodles, the ramen is simply undeniable and blasts Houston's more authentic ramens out of the water. The best part is that the ramen is decked with so many things in its large bowl, which costs only $8! I was so full after just one bowl. There is a good reason why there's always a wait despite of its close proximity to other good restaurants, but go between 5-6 PM to minimize the wait. This is not an ideal group dinner place, so pick a few of your best buddies and experience Houston's best ramen here at Tiger Den! --- tl;dr version 1) Houston's best ramen for only $8! 2) Small restaurant not ideal for group outing 3) Go early to minimize the wait time read more

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The newest of the ramen restaurants opening up, I heard mixed reviews of the food here and decided to try it myself. Went on a weeknight around to 8:30pm and the wait was short. The inside is set up well and is pretty cute - lots of wood. Not many tables for large parties but plenty for a group of four. We ordered a variety of grilled items and different ramens. Chicken wings - delicious! Great flavoring, this was my favorite of the grilled dishes. Beef tongue - I don't always like it but it was pretty good here. Served in thin slices. Squid teriyaki - Chicken hearts - ehh. But I'm not a huge fan of these in general, so I'm a bad judge. Tonkotsu ramen - flavor of the broth was okay....nothing awesome, it was missing something more complex. I compared it to the tonkotsu ramen at Nippon a few days later and Nppon's broth was way better. Miso ramen - bland, definitely go with the spicy if you want miso ramen. Spicy miso - similar to the tonkotsu ramen, it was missing something. It was okay, nothing wrong in particular, but there was definitely no wow factor. Overall complaint - the noodles were wrong! They weren't ramen noodles! The broth here was light years better than Goro & Gun, but by no means was it awesome and definitely not if there's a long wait - you'd be better off going to Nippon in Montrose. read more

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Finally got a chance to come here! What's prevented me from checking out Tiger Den earlier was definitely the crazy long lines -- whenever finishing up dinner elsewhere in Dun Huang Plaza I always saw hoards of people lined up outside. Plus, all members of your party have to be present before they seat you. Anyways, get here at 5:30 and you won't have that issue! Yay! FOOD Now, I was in one of those "I am willing to eat anything" type of moods when I sat down and ordered. All of their ramen is under $10, which I thought was pretty nice compared to other ramen hotshots around H-Town. Depending on your appetite you could go for extra noodles, which is +$2.50. I went for the garlic black bean ramen. There were fried bits of crunchy crisp garlic floating around in the broth, which added some nice texture. Chashu wasn't mind-blowing but at an acceptable softness, and the egg was almost too soft! Usually the issue I encounter is overcooked ajitama egg, but Tiger Den did a good job at keeping their eggs soft and gooey. The broth itself was not overly salty, but my major complaint was that there wasn't a lot of liquid in my bowl. Because I was starving I had ordered a serving of extra noodles and by the time I dumped those into my bowl it looked more like noodles with sauce rather than noodles in soup. That being said the broth was still flavorful enough to coat all of my noodles in goodness. Now, I'm a sucker for thick noodles but Tiger Den still does a good job with keeping their noodles chewy while using the thin Hakata kind. A couple of my friends got their Dipping Noodles (on the chalkboard, not on the menu) which, after stealing a bite, I would also recommend. AMBIENCE Whoa, what? I'm writing an ambience section for a restaurant in Chinatown? Why yes, yes I am. Tiger Den put some effort into decor, so in return I will write a shoutout of appreciation. J-rock blasts out of the speakers spontaneously, and the walls are covered in graphic designs of what I presume to be Japanese alleyways where you can find ramen street food. The lighting is dimmer, and the chopsticks are wrapped in paper with 'Tiger Den' printed on them. There's an open kitchen near the back of the restaurant so you can see the cooks churn out your noodles, and the wooden seats are dark and polished. Overall, if you can avoid the lines, I'd recommend this place. Would come again! read more

Tiger Den - Sorry for the bad lighting -- garlic black bean ramen with extra noodles - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you have a hankering for Japanese style ramen, I highly recommend that you come here. So you've had authentic Japanese ramen straight from the heart of Tokyo, and you say that this is nothing like it. Get over it! You're in Houston TEXAS, and from all the other ramens that I've tasted in Houston, I'd say that this is as good as it's going to get. They have a variety of ramens, and I'm not really sure if it's because I have a poor differentiating palette, but all of them taste pretty similar to me. The spicy miso tastes like the tonkatsu with spicy cayenne powder, and the garlic ramen tastes like tonkatsu with roasted garlic chips (which is actually really delicious!). I assume that the tonkatsu is their basic, plain jane ramen. There has been a line every single time I've been, and you have to write your name + number of people in your party while you wait outside. A lady comes out and checks it every once in a while and calls you when your table is ready. The place is very small, so you may be sitting elbow to elbow on a long table while you eat. You may even sit right in front of the kitchen and watch as they cook their little appetizers and ramen. It's probably not a very good first date spot, as people will join in on your conversation while you eat/converse, but if that's your thing, date on! read more

Tiger Den - Spicy miso, tonkatsu, chicken hearts, pork belly - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas

Everytime I come to Tiger Den, I always get the GARLIC BLACK BEAN RAMEN. It's savory, flavorful, and delicious. Over the years, I have noticed that the quality has gone down little by little, but I think it's still pretty yummy. Do yourself a favor and order an extra egg with your ramen! The yolk is beautifully runny, and half an egg is not nearly enough. My partner got the TANTAN-MEN RAMEN and we shared the PORK GYOZA between the two of us. He really enjoyed the tantan-men broth and I thought the flavor was very unique! Not something I've seen at any other ramen house I've been to. The gyoza was pretty standard, but at the very least, wasn't as expensive as you would find it at other ramen places. The only thing that really annoyed me about our experience here was that we specially asked to be seated at a booth, and even though there was an open one, we were sat at the counter. It would be understandable if they were busy and needed to save the booths for bigger parties, but nearly all the other booths were occupied by couples, and other couples continued to be sat at booths after we were denied one. Not only this, but the service was pretty slow, even on a pretty dead weeknight. I know Tiger Den is located on Bellaire, but customer service is still important, guys. read more

Here's a quick lowdown: Saturday for table of 4 around 745-8pm was a short 15-20 minute wait. This place still has a long wait so the ramen craze hasn't died down yet. There were still a large group of people waiting after 9pm. Service is pretty quick and easy. The waitstaff take your order off ipads. We ordered the following appetizers and they came very swiftly! The reason why I give it 3 stars instead of 2 is because the appetizers are good. The ramen is average. Eggplant - careful these suckers are hot so wait a bit before diving in else pretty good flavors and texture. Shitake mushrooms - these were grilled and also very good as starters Pork jowl- eh..I don't know how I felt about these. It was chewy and crispy at the same time. I don't think I liked the texture of it and they came in small pieces on a stick. Chicken wings - assumed these were going to be fried but they weren't, which can be a good thing. It's nothing out of this world, very standard teriyaki marinated wings. Pork belly - it's similar to the Korean thick sliced pork (ssaeng gyup sal) but these were cut up into tiny pieces which were a bit burnt. I wouldn't say I was a huge fan. Ramen time! The guys ordered Tonkatsu which was very flavorful. You could definitely tell they cooked the broth for a long time. It reminded us of Korean beef broth soup that was very rich. I ordered the spicy miso ramen which I battled between this and choosing the garlic black bean. My friend ordered the black bean so we compromised and tried each others. I liked the spicy miso, not very spicy though which was a bummer. Many reviews mention it wasn't spicy so I didn't have expectations. The only thing I didn't particularly like the thinness and texture of the noodles. It didn't feel like legit ramen to me with those noodles. Anyways I tried the garlic black bean broth and it was good. If you let it sit for a while, it does get extremely salty so I highly recommend eating it soon. read more

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I expected so much more out of this place. I had heard some good reviews and when I finally went, it was such a let down. Not a fan. Mediocre overpriced ramen. Ordered and food came out literally in 3 mins. Last time I checked, it takes longer than 3 mins for myself to make a packaged instant noodle at home. I am a fan of places who are quick at making food and sending them out in a timely manner but 3 mins is way too fast. Food and soup was not even hot. We came around 530pm and it wasn't even packed. Our server forgot to bring our drink order. So basically our food came out too fast and our drink order came out way too slow, had to ask them about our drinks because they probably forgot. Only thing I did enjoy was the decor. On that note, I won't be coming back. read more

Tiger Den - Ramen Near Me - Houston, Texas