Taniku Izakaya

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 to

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.

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.😋

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