Taniku Izakaya: Authentic Ramen Experience in San Francisco

I finally made it to their happy hour, which has some great deals. Their happy hour menu contains some of their ramen bowls off their main menu for $13. I got the garlic pork ramen, and they did not skimp on the pork. There were two thick pieces of soft pork belly that was coated with garlic and seared to perfection. And the meat melted in my mouth. The bok choy was crunchy and its bitterness was tamed with the flavorful pork. The noodles had a good bite while the corn added some sweetness. And the marinated egg also added another flavor profile. Not sure what it was marinated in, but it had a nice tea flavor. And the yolk was perfectly jammy. And then there's the broth: full of umami, pork, and garlic flavors. I have been incredibly stressed from two projects at work and the moment I took a sip of the broth, I immediately felt at ease. The ramen was so comforting, especially now that we're experiencing autumn weather in San Francisco. I tend to eat fast, but there was no rushing this. The world and my worries melted away with each bite. I also got the amaebi shrimp hand roll, which came with a yuzu sauce. I actually found it to be a bit gingery, which was a nice surprise in flavor. It seemed the rice was also marinated in perhaps soy sauce for that umami note. And the shrimp was plump. It was a good bite. This is a popular spot with a small dining space, so a line can form pretty quickly outside as the night progresses. But that ramen is worth the wait.

It’s a small and cozy izakaya, perfect for dining alone or with a small group of 3–4 people. I ordered appetizers from the special menu. First up: Mentaiko Zucchini (so delicious! The very first bite was refreshing, followed by the rich umami saltiness of the mentaiko. A little dip in Karashi mustard made it even better—definitely a must-try! Highly recommended). Next was Kuramaebi, tiger prawns deep-fried tempura style and topped with tartar sauce. After that, I ordered Ba-ra Kushiyaki and Kobe Kushiyaki (served 2 skewers each). I especially enjoyed the Kobe—it was grilled perfectly and went really well with Shichimi Togarashi. If it had the same green onion topping as the Ba-ra, I think it would have been absolutely perfect.

Such a cozy little spot with tons of great food options! The ramen was super flavorful, the portions were huge, and everything just hit the spot. Can’t wait to come back and try so many other things on the menu that looked amazing.

I don’t often write reviews while in the restaurant but I couldn’t wait because this is simply one of THE BEST Izakaya restaurants I’ve ever visited. You can feel how much effort the owner has put in FOOD - I strongly recommend their Yakitori. All of them are good. They were grilled perfectly and marinated just good so that you can still taste the freshness of the material. We also had Takoyaki, it’s also very tasty, you can tell that they were made fresh! I also recommend their Katsu curry rice, they are not the usual ones you’ll get, it’s very authentic, feels like the one in Japan. Lastly, try their Yuzu beer, it’s very refreshing! SERVICE and ENVIRONMENT are all 100/100. The manager respect you and always ensure you get the thing you want. The environment is also very cute, decorated with many Japanese style decorations. From the Sonos speaker you can see how much efforts they put on these little details. If you have a chance, come and taste it. It’s THE BEST!!!

Amazing food and atmosphere, large selection of Japanese Sake for very reasonable prices. By far the best quality to value for Japanese food in SF. The restaurant itself doesn't have a ton of seating especially for large parties so get there early and expect a wait if you have a large party. That said they are very accommodating and willing to combine tables for larger groups. All of the food I had was amazing and the staff were wonderful. Will definitely be going back!

Had dinner here with a couple of friends and really enjoyed it. Taniku Izakaya is a small spot (maybe 20 seats total), walk-in only, but we didn’t wait long to get in. The menu isn’t the typical izakaya heavy on skewers, but the ones they do offer were excellent — we tried the Kobe beef, pork belly, and chicken with yuzu, all flavorful and cooked perfectly. We also ordered takoyaki along with a few handrolls (amaebi shrimp, unagi, and hamachi), which were fresh and delicious. I finished with the Akamaru ramen with pork chashu. It’s on the spicier side, but they adjusted it down for me and it still had great flavor. Overall, this place is a great find. Cozy atmosphere, quality food, and a menu that feels a little different than most izakayas I’ve been to. Definitely worth checking out, and I’ll be back.

i’m honestly very surprised this isn’t on some “hidden gems” list because Taniku Izakaya is truly phenomenal. We’ve come back a couple times within about two months, and everything is so great. The small plates are where Taniku really shines — each one packs a powerful punch of flavor. this go around, we had the grilled Japanese yams, the pork belly and the Kobe beef skewers which are *chef’s kiss* . We haven’t tried everything just yet, but we’ll keep coming back for more. (The pork belly skewers have been a repeat favorite!)

Super delicious. The ramen was good, but honestly the small plates were better. My gluten free daughter really enjoyed the tofu and the scallops and the Brussel sprouts. The chicken katsu mushrooms were also amazing. Would definitely return. It is a small place though so ready to queue up outside.