Came here for lunch, and it's a super cool spot given the area (the heart of Poway). It's in the same strip mall as a Big Lots and discounted super market lol, but don't let that fool you. They get a tad busy during lunch, their dining room is small and not the best for big groups, but they do the a table for 6 and luckily it was open when we arrived. They have a mainly Japanese menu, but there are some fusion Korean items that sound great. They have a noodle and rice bowl combo, and it was a great lunch option. Filling, but not too heavy. I had the udon in a bonito fish broth and the unagi (eel) rice bowl. It was so delicious, I'd probably order it again when I return. The price is a tad high for lunch, my combo was $15 and the portions are light.. which was okay, but if I was hungry it wouldn't have been enough food. The food came out quickly and the service was great. I'll definitely will be back and if you happen to be in the middle of no where Poway (just kidding), check this place out! read more

Tong Sake House - Noodle and rice combo, unagi and udon. - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

Went on a date here yesterday night with Mr. Wd. Walking in, there was a sign that asked you to sign up and to wait to be seated. I realize later that we should have just asked to be seated at the bar because it was a 15 minute~so wait as all the tables were taken. By the time we thought of that, there was a group that finished eating. There seemed to be only one waitress the whole time and she was walking all around catering to each of the tables. There was another person, the waiter I assume? But it looked as though he was overseeing how she was doing on her own. They cleaned the table and then we were seated. I immediately ordered upon seating as we discussed what we wanted for the duration of the wait earlier. We got takoyaki for a appetizer, him the Kimchi Bacon and me the Udon Saute that I have been looking forward to since Monday (I was stalking- I mean taking a look at the menu and pictures earlier this week) Ordered the black sesame ice cream later for dessert as Mr. W said he never had it before. Takoyaki - It was good. Majority of it was the batter on the outside and the few cubes of octopus on the inside. This was my first time having takoyaki on the West Coast so I would rate it as okay. I think generally all takoyaki tastes the same as they use the same takoyaki and mayo sauce along with Aonori (green dried seaweed) and Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Mr. W liked it as he finished the leftover takoyaki sauce on the plate. Udon Saute - not a good idea to get after you had Takoyaki I found out. I was disappointed as it tasted exactly like the takoyaki except with udon noodles. Guess I should have foreseen that they would taste real similar. Presentation is exactly as it is in all the pictures. So if you plan on ordering this, don't order the takoyaki! Or if you order the takoyaki don't order this! Kimchi Bacon - It might just be me as I was disappointed with my dish but Mr. W's choice was pretty good. It came out first of the entrees served on a cute little pan with a mat underneath. Had a egg smack in the middle along with kimchi and bacon in a medley with rice. Yum! Black Sesame Ice Cream - for the finishing touch. It was served in a glass with two spoons with two Green Tea/Matcha pockies sticking out, red bean in the middle and mochi scattered around. I admit the place is a cute emitting the Japanese shop ambiance when walking in with the dim lighting. Service was okay in my opinion. Lots of ample parking when we went around 7ish on a Wednesday night. Might come back. read more

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If you are looking for really good noodles, look no further! This place is by far the best Udon and Ramen in all of Poway! Tong is popular and often has wait times, but that's to be expected when provide a high quality product! We LOVE this little place and often make the 20min drive into Poway to eat here! We will absolutely be back! read more

Tong Sake House - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

this place is soooo good! the inside of the restaurant is super cute and the food is so tasty read more

Tong Sake House - beef japchae - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

After hiking Mount Woodsen to potato chip rock, I needed to refuel and relax. Thanks to the Yelp app I was led here and was impressed by the many unique offerings on the menu. The udon saute struck me as being particularly interesting with bacon, spinach, mushrooms, katsuobushi (or bonito flakes) and kewpie mayonnaise. The dish was rich, tasty, and definitely very unique. The service was friendly and quick. At the time at my visit, they were not able to serve alcohol due to some sort of license renewal issue. Thank goodness I'm not a sake drinker! read more

Tong Sake House - Udon sauté - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

The food was great and the service was even better! The woman that helped us was so nice and extremely attentive. The Bimbimbop was delicious! This is a hidden gem in Poway. I highly recommend Tong! read more

This is the best sushi place I've ever ordered food from. I only just discovered it during covid, but the two times I've ordered from them have been stellar. Above and beyond. Incredibly fresh, beautiful, badass packaging (i mean the sushi roll container is just so cool), SUCH food flavor, and ample portions. They even provide complimentary cookies (2 different kinds between each order!). Their menu is amazing and equally enticing, so I cannot wait to try more. Thanks, you guys, for being open and doing such an incredible job during covid. read more

Very friendly customer service. Food came out fast. The portion is generous. I like that there's a good portion of meat in my ramen. The calamaris are super fresh read more

One of the best restaurants in Poway. Super nice and helpful service, delicious food, great sake's choice. We tried veggie tempura, Beef Job chase (glass noodles), eel nigiri, and tonkatsu ramen. Everything was super yummy! Our overall experience was magical. Great ambience during COVID-19. We will be back soon! read more

Tong Sake House is a hidden gem. Here is my breakdown: Pros: -Great service, very friendly - Neat and clean ambiance - Unique selection of food with good variety Cons: -Wish they had longer hours on Saturdays I really dig the place and the staff is great. read more

Loved our first visit a few months ago and we just keep coming back for more. We even had a group of 11 come and everyone had different orders and all enjoyed what they ordered. read more

This was my first visit and I would rate the ramen as AMAZING!!! I'm looking forward to returning again and again and again!!! read more

Tong Sake House - The Tong Crew Ramen. Amazing!!! - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

Walked in at 7:30 and was immediately greeted and sat. Ordered spicy garlic edamame and they had one of the best sauces I've ever tried! Just the right amount of spicy! Then, ordered the seafood ramen! Delicious! Great good, great attentive service-- the owner even came out and gave us some complimentary dumpling on our way out! We'll be back for sure! read more

Tong Sake House - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

Tong Sake House is a wonderful choice for takeout night. Ever since Covid struck we have been looking to try new eatery's in the area and I am so glad we gave Tong Sake a shot. The bulgogi fries are pure excellence. My husband insists we get it every single time. The lemon cilantro roll is delicious. My kids love the miso soup. The ramen is pretty decent after you add a little salt. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I did find a tiny hair on my sushi roll one time. Also they only have purple rice (no white steamed rice). I don't personally have a problem but with kids eating, a few had a hard time wrapping their heads around purple rice. I absolutely love that they give you complimentary little dessert treats to enjoy after the meal and sometimes they throw in a free little appetizer. We normally don't order deep fried rolls but they gave us a little sample and it was heavenly. I always look forward to getting take out from Tong Sake House. read more

Tong Sake House - bulgogi K.B Fries - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

I made a day trip from LA to San Diego and was recommended by a friend that my partner and I eat here for dinner, and I am so glad we did! This restaurant and everything about it EXCEEDED my expectations in all areas. For food, I ordered the Oh Hiya (SD Ramen) and my partner ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen along with the Chicken Karrage to share. Coming from LA, exceptional ramen is hard to come by, but this location definitely gave all of my LA favorites a run for their money (and won by a landslide). The Oh Hiya had a unique flavor and presentation that I had never tasted before and all the elements of the cold ramen dish blended very well. My partner also stated the Tonkotsu was also delicious and that it was very flavorful and well portioned. In addition, the Chicken Karrage had a nice crispy outside with soft pillowy inside that came with two delicious dipping sauces. A+ food in my book. Honestly, LA ramen/bowl establishments WISH they could even close to being as quality as this restaurant. However, the stand-out element of this 5+ star review comes in terms of the service and commitment to their customers. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tony, who I believed was the owner of the restaurant during my time here. Tony was extremely kind and patient with me and my partner. Furthermore, he was very thoughtful in explaining each element of the menu and answered any questions that I had. I personally believe that the most essential aspect of an eatery business, is having staff and leadership that will listen to its customers and Tong Sake definitely hit that mark! Also, upon speaking with Tony further, I was very pleased and delighted to hear the many precautions that the restaurant has taken during this COVID-19 pandemic. Understandably many patrons are hesitant/afraid to dine out or go to restaurants for takeout. However, I would like to assure everyone that the measures that this establishment takes to maintain the safety of their staff and customers is absolutely extraordinary, and I wish many establishments near me in my hometown had followed their similar guidelines! I apologize for such a long review. But if you have gotten through to the end, I hope that this review was able to adequately express my amazing experience here. I'm honestly so bummed that I live in LA and not in SD, because I will assure you that if I did I would be there ALL THE FREAKING TIME!!! read more

We came back because we moved very close by and I have to say my experience was great. They seem to have remodeled the restaurant. Or looks really nice and the food was AMAZING. We shared the octopus balls, I had binimbap and my husband has a rice bowl with sashimi. Both were FANTASTIC. read more

FIVE STARS! I live in Chula Vista but I would definitely make a trip up to Poway for dinner. We ordered the Lemon Cilantro Roll, Philadelphia Roll, and a California Roll, DELICIOUS! My friend order the ramen and it was super flavorful and a good quantity for the price. Everything here is reasonably priced and AMAZING!!! The service was fabulous, everyone here was very generous and the even let us sample the Tong Roll which was heavenly. 10/10 recommend and I hope to come back soon. Even during covid they maintain great service and are building a returning clientele! read more

Pretty solid place! Service was chill! We had the roast chicken, a seared salmon roll, I forget the name and then the seafood ramen! The ramen was alright but that might be from my bias of preferring a normal pork to katsu. I had the roast chicken bowl and it was great! Not overly seeet from teriyaki and the salad and nice were perfect. Roll was also good! Nice to have a good Asian place here in poway similar to quality of food places in convoy! read more

Tong Sake House - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

I don't even know where to start. Oh yes, the restaurant is small yet so warm and cozy. The service was superb and food was so so delicious. If I could only take a 10 second pause before inhaling my food I would be able to take some pics of the delicious food. So you just have to take my opinion to heart. It's delicious ok!! read more

I was craving ramen and I wanted to try a different restaurant other than my normal rotation of ramen restaurants in San Diego. So I searched Yelp and decided on Tong Sake House since it was also close to home. It's located in the same strip mall as North Park Produce. We came on a Saturday night around 830pm and easily found parking. We were immediately seated and there was a good amount of customers dining. We looked over the menu and the boyfriend ordered the tostadas and we both ordered the tonkatsu ramen. We immediately received the tostadas and for $7, it was a little pricey. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious and the fish tasted fresh and it was really tender and flavorful. It had micro cilantro, some balsamic glaze, and 5 pieces of ahi poke, it's just a tad pricey for what it is. If there was a third one then maybe the $7 price point would be okay. After we had our tostadas, our ramen came out. Mine was a spicy tonkatsu and the boyfriends was just the regular one (not spicy). My broth was just more peppery than anything compared to the boyfriend's broth. It was still tasty but I felt that the broth didn't have the depth of pork flavor like the other ramen shops I've been to. The noodles had a nice pull and chew. It was cooked perfectly. There were some pieces of spinach, pickled ginger, green onions and bamboo shoot that was amazing! It was really flavored or marinated well and I would not expect that for bamboo shoots. The chashu was okay; nothing to rave about. I wish there was a ramen egg in it but I wasn't sure if they offered it so I didn't ask. Overall, it's a decent place. The staff and service was friendly and efficient. The decor is cute. Our food: the ramen was just okay. It wasn't mind blowing. I think the tostadas was more memorable than the ramen. Would I go back? Maybe. read more

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Got a beer, chicken karrage, and shrimp tempura. They didn't mess up the beer. The chicken was bland and is more like unseasoned chicken tenders. The shrimp was also prepackaged and was soaked through with oil. Not a pleasant experience. read more

This is the most recent menu! 5 stars for food and covid safety measures :) hopefully we will be able to dine in safely soon. read more

Tong Sake House - Most recent menu! - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

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Great food and service. I'd highly recommend the Tong Crew ramen if you like spicy food. The lemon cilantro roll was also very fresh, and we enjoyed the garlic edamame, chicken karaage, and takoyaki! read more

Came here since I was a kid, great service and food. 100% recommended. Always very welcoming and a great variety of drinks and food. Ambiance of this place is just perfect. read more

Yummy sushi would be great to do photography for this place to show how yummy it is. And the flavor is always amazing

Change of management, food is different. Not as good as it used to be. Their house salad used to be so amazing with the perfect blend of flavors and dressing. Gross now, I couldn't eat it. The truffle fries- different kind of fry, no truffle taste and the spicy ketchup, that was once the icing on the cake, is just boring ole ketchup now. Sushi is meh. Such a disappointment. We gave it 2 tries but won't be coming back. read more

Food are 5 stars ! Service are 5 starts and the place is so nice and clean . Great place for launch and dinner . Staff are very friendly and food are coming out clean and fresh . I'm eating everyday out side and that's definitely the best place for launch in poway area . Thanks . read more

Tong Sake House - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

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The decoration is cool, but they need to get a chef!!! The taste of the foods are not complete, it's like watching a movie but not till the end. I tried a ramen with one appetizer and one rice bowl. Just the appetizer was ok and that was the chicken wings. The other meals were not even close to the standard. NOT RECOMMENDED... read more

This is a regular local hot spot for those who like good Japanese Ramen and other dishes from Japan. I have lived in Japan for 2 years and this is close enough to smell the cherry blossoms Today I had on of the very popular dishes with a little extra. It was the tonkotsu ramen. When I get it I ask for it to be spicy and to add a whole egg. The egg is 1.00 extra and is the perfect soft boiled every time. The spicy is not on the menu and my wife gets it the traditional way. The noodles have a great texture. I feel a good fresh authentic noodle should almost have almost anbounce to it when you bite into it and this does. The broth is very flavorful and comes with 2 pieces of pork sliced to about a mm or 2 thick. Size is a normal good portion. If you are hungry it will fill you up. If your starving that have lots of good apps to pick from. 10.00 for the ramen, 1.00 extra for the whole egg= a very good and fair deal. Try them out and it will be your local go to as well! read more

Tong Sake House - Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen with whole egg. - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

They stopped serving sushi here. We stayed since we were already there. Food was meh. The tempura looks and tastes like the ones that come from Costco. read more

So great they might be the only place that sells kale chips. Very underrated place. Spicy Miso Ramen way better than some popular spots.

Me and a couple close friends went here for my birthday a few weeks ago. The staff was super friendly and attentive. Not only that but the food was really good. We didn't tell the staff that it was my birthday until close to the end when we were paying. Then I went to the restroom and when I came out, they dimmed the lights and sang Happy Birthday to me! A little dessert with a candle too!! I was really impressed with how nice they were. They even let us stay passed closing to enjoy the dessert. I got the Bulgogi rice bowl and we shared KB fries and chicken kaarage. Again, everything was good! Definitely coming back. This might just be our Go To/Default place to eat read more

Tong Sake House - Front of the building - Korean Near Me - Poway, California

Hi, I'm Alice and today was my last day serving at Tong! I worked there around a year and a half and thought I'd offer some suggestions/recommendations for anyone interested in trying the restaurant out! When it comes to ambiance, Tong is a family-friendly, cozy restaurant. There are no T.Vs so it's a good space for co-workers, friends, and family to really have conversations and connect. We usually play soft pop music in the background and one of the perks of being a waitress there was being able to dj ;) Personally, I love the food at Tong so I definitely plan to go back even though I don't work there anymore. The Tonkatsu Ramen is their most popular dish and if you like spicy, I definitely recommend it (no extra charge). The Tong Crew Ramen is an "upgraded" version of the Tonkatsu Ramen (spicy) with bean sprouts, an extra slice of chasu, and half an egg. My personal favorite is the SD ( sesame dressing) Ramen which has no broth but instead has sesame dressing drizzled over chewy noodles. Make sure to stir the sauce in really well to coat the noodles evenly! I would put chili powder on mine to give it an extra kick of spice. If you're trying sake, the Kikisui is the go-to which is a medium-dry,filtered sake. The hot sake or yuzu shwa (citrus flavored, you can barley taste the alcohol!) is a more budget-friendly option! My personal favorite is the Strawberry Nigiri which tastes like strawberry jam :P Definitely try tostadas and the wings and kale. Fries fans will get a huge kick out of the KB fries which are crispy-ass fries topped with fried chicken, bulgogi (marinated Korean beef), sriracha, Japanese mayo, and brown sauce (I never remembered the name lol). My boyfriend always gets the oyster jalapeños udon and spicy tuna rolls. The Bulgogi and the Pan Roasted chicken bowl are famous favorites among the regulars. Mind you, we no longer serve the udon sauté and bulgogi calamari. I've worked at five different restaurants and this is the first time I'm writing a review (obviously not for self-serving purposes cause I don't work there anymore) just because of how much I love the culture and food at Tong. If you're looking for good food in a relaxing space, try it out!!! read more

So good! Our waitress was Kim and she was so sweet. This was my mom and I's first time going, and Kim made sure it was a great experience. My mom and I both got the Miso Ramen Bowl and it was one of the best ramen bowls I've had. Also.. the matcha cheesecake was amazing! I will definitely be back. read more

Hands down the best ramen place in Poway. Walked in one night with the hubby and was greeted and seated right away. It was packed on a Tuesday night. We ordered the dinner special that comes with tonkotsu ramen and a bowl. I ordered the spicy tonkotsu ramen and added an egg with the spicy tuna bowl. Hubby got the regular tonkotsu ramen as well as the spicy tuna bowl. We received our bowls first, then the ramen. The bowl was so tasty! The flavors were soooo delicious. The ramen was the perfect level of spicy, the EGG THOUGH! Oh I've never had an egg that tasted so good! The ramen was done al dente it was a little stuck together but it didn't even matter. The ramen was so good too! We also ordered the strawberry nigori saki. Never had it before and it was creamy and delicious. The service was excellent! The food was amazing! My new favorite spot! read more

Copper Scale Rating: 7 / 7 A Special Gem in Poway, California. My wife took me here for my birthday and I was absolutely amazed when we entered. The staff was incredible. They were very welcoming and treated us like family. This was some of the best customer service I've ever experienced. Then there's the cuisine. Every item we tried at Tong Sake House was stellar in all criteria. The "House Sake" was excellent with its light yet elegant floral notes which often made me feel as though I was experiencing a reinterpretation of the finest Chateau d'Esclans or Perrier Jouet Fleur Rosé wine. We also had the honor of sampling the newly added "Glass Noodles & Beef" which was absolutely sublime. The level of sheer umami we experienced from both the Tonkotsu and Seafood Ramen was such that it bordered on the surreal. I was informed by the Chef that the ingredients in the Seafood Ramen had been cooked in a Wok before being added to their delicious spicy red broth. Additionally, we sampled some Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream which was spectacular. I was also pleasantly surprised by the wonderful chocolate cake I received for my birthday. Overall, Tong Sake House is definitely one of the "Top 3 Best Japanese Restaurants" I've experienced so far on the west coast. Highly Recommended! read more

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We order take out from this restaurant and the food is delicious. The issue I have is that the food is extremely greasy/oily. Entrees like kimchi rice, yakisoba etc are loaded with oil. You can literally drain some of the oil and one feels very unhealthy after eating the food. The sushi and the bulgogi are good, the bulgogi was not as greasy! read more

I occasionally meet my husband here for lunch and their lunch combos are great! Ramen plus a little spicy tuna rice bowl for $12. The ramen doesn't come with any meat, but the broth is very meaty and flavorful. I don't usually finish all the broth when I eat ramen, but since it's a smaller bowl, I always finish all the broth here. The ramen has just enough bamboo and ginger for my tastes, without filler like bean sprouts. The rice bowls come with black rice (really light purple) by default, which is nice. My husband always get the ramen with the unagi don which is good too, but I have a thing for spicy tuna don with soups. They give you a little dish of pickled veggies with your meal too. The only complaint I have is that the spicy tuna don comes with a dab of wasabi but soy is not on the table by default and there is no dish to mix it in. I am sometimes wary of Korean owned Japanese food places, but the food here is legitimately delicious. I wish the menu was a bit more extensive, but it's a pretty simple, straightforward place. They are quick, clean, and consistently good. read more

I mean it was ok.. My husband and I visited this spot last week. We were in Poway and we love Japanese food (we were in Japan a year ago) so we thought we would try it out! First off, I loved the decor. Looked very Japanese and could have been a more modern restaurant in Tokyo, to be honest. I liked the lighting, the cool Japanese panels, etc. I thought they would have more Sake options considering they are called "Tong Sake". There may have been like four or five on the menu? And the hot sake only came in one size (and was $10). There are way more sake options at the sushi restaurant we go to often in North County (like a whole page), and way more size options, etc. They also didn't have much beer variety, unfortunately. The menu seemed to be kind of strange, too. We honestly didn't know what to order so we ended up splitting chicken karaage, a sushi roll, and the octopus balls. It was all pretty decent. My husband loved the chicken karaage--it tasted very gingery. However, the sushi didn't come with soy sauce, wasabi, or ginger which I thought was incredibly strange. Hate to be this critical, but the music was weird too. It almost sounded like they chose a really sappy Justin Bieber song and made a Pandora station from it. I was like this is not the mood I wanna be in before a night out! (haha). Maybe we ordered the wrong thing. If you come here, I would suggest coming during lunch and trying ramen or udon. The service was good, too. read more

Great value here. Love the dinner and lunch combo specials. Ramen was tasty but not too heavy and fatty. Would definitely come again.