We were in College Station to visit Texas A&M for our son and reached there right around lunch time. Found Tanaka Ramen by chance because we turned in the strip mall because of firehouse subs. We are glad we did. The food was really nice and the service was excellent. The ambiance was pretty good with the open kitchen and a long table and Hibachi serving bar. We got the spicy Vegan ramen, some Goyza and Pork bowl and all of them were flavorful. read more

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I've been going to Tanaka for over 4 years now, however, this past year it's gone downhill. The ramen used to be so flavorful and rich. Now it tastes like water. I'm really sad to see how expensive it's gotten as well. Anything extra costs at least $2 or more from ingredients to spice level. I used to get a bowl of create your own ramen for $12, now I pay almost $20. The restaurant itself is cute because it has a big table in the middle with rocks giving it a Japanese vibe. The service is usually pretty average, nothing over the top. Plenty of parking. I'm sad to see it decrease in quality after all these years because I used to eat here once a week. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

THIS PLACE reVIVED ME! Their ramen was glorbious & took my frail, whimpering, pathetic body into another realm of deliciousness and satiation. The only thing that could have elevated this experience was if they were playing anime food montages. OH WAIT. THEY WERE. bring your kids here. read more

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Although I have been to this place a couple of times, I only tried the spicy tori (chicken) ramen (level 3 hot was hot enough for me) and my friend tried the creamy vegan ramen with the shrimp appetiser. The food was great and the quantity was quite filling, we couldn't finish our ramen bowls. The place has a cozy setting and warm lighting. The service was just. I'd recommend the place for anyone willing to try Ramen. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

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I'm kind of a ramen snob, and I LOVED this bowl of tonkatsu. There was a creeper across from me licking the inside of his bowl and staring right into my eyes, but that's not the restaurant's fault. (We were seated at a community table). The staff was super friendly and responsive, and the restaurant was very clean and nicely decorated. It's located in a strip mall so there's plenty of parking out front. I'll definitely be back! read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

The level 2 heat is just right in the Garlic Volcano bowl. The seasoned egg was phenomenal! Will be back.

By far the best ramen I've had all year. I ordered the Tanaka Spicy, heat level maxed at 4 & oh boy it did not disappoint. I like my spicy foods and this one was just the right amount. The subtle burning sensation at the lips just kept wanting me to go for more. Very flavorful. The staff service was great. They kept coming back and forth asking how was everything and if we needed anything. It got a bit confusing since every single waiter/waitress came to the table, but still took care of us. The ambiance of the restaurant was wonderful for a dinner. Not too loud, not too quiet. Friends and families talking quietly amongst themselves. Home Alone playing on one TV, Toy Story on another as well as playing Christmas music for the holiday spirits. Would recommend the place to everyone. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Tanaka Spicy level 4 - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

Came here for the first time with my family. We ordered the Tanaka Rich Garlic (very flavorful and delicious), Tanaka Classic (super delicious), Karaage Chicken (crispy and yummy), Agedashi tofu (not what we're used to and it was kinda bland), pork gyoza (it was ok), fried calamari (kind of bland, but the dipping sauce was delicious), and Tokyo Curry Don (not sure if the curry was supposed to to look like dried poop, but it was borderline ok and bleh). For dessert, we ordered the strawberry mochi ice cream and that was yummy. The staff are friendly and fast. The have a large parking lot. read more

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Nasty not filling no flavor just spicy will never go again. Not fresh old tasting do not go!!!!!!

Stopped into town to visit some friends. I really love the atmosphere at Tanaka. It's fun, inviting, and exciting. The staff is also super nice! I will say that i was bit tired of eating ramen, solely because of previous experiences. HOWEVER, this place brought my ramen interest back. That soup was super tasty and spicy. I really enjoyed. I got full really fast but I wish I could've eaten more. Love the Takoyaki. There was an egg salad underneath that was SOO good. Overall, great experience. I hope to go back again! read more

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Had to knock off a star due to cleanliness. We sat by the wall and it was covered with food/soup droppings and the floor was sticky. The food was pretty good though we tried two different steam Buns, tanaka shio, and tanaka chicken The ramen was pretty good for the price read more

How Tanaka has fallen! This my last visit. Over the years, I came to appreciate them elevating the taste of some of their ramen bowls. This is not the same place, however, that I used to bring family, friends and church members to and watch as they were surprised at how good ramen can be. Over the years my visits went from frequent, to few and far between due to the service and (lack of) cleanliness. When I dropped by weeks ago to see the restaurant was closed because the hours have been reduced, I thought this may be the death nell of a once good ramen place. This was kind of a blessing in disguise becaue I went around the corner to Aji sushi and found a new place which has great ramen, great service, and decent prices, so thank you for being closed at that time Tanaka! Today I went to Tanaka and must have gotten lucky to visit within the limited time frame that they are open. I pull up and there is a sign that says "cash only". So I go to the ATM and get cash and come back for an experience that I can only label as sad. First thing I noticed is the fact that the soles of my shoes stuck to the floor as you walk on it. This is anywhere in the restaurant that you walk. You could hear me and others walk as our shoes unstick as you lift your foot when walking. The floor is dark, but when I came back from the restroom, I saw the glare of the sun on the floor and you could see all the footprints embedded in the grime. (This is actually something I forgot had happened last time I was here months ago, which prompts me to wonder if they ever mop the floor. The bench seating has straws, straw wrappers and other trash in between the planks that make the bench seats. This was another thing I remembered from the last time I was here, but this time with more trash in between the planks. The service has always been the struggle here, but this it was bad. When I entered there was two parties in the place,out of my peripheral I saw a guy standing near a table but didn't realize he was a server because he was dressed like he was at a picnic in casual shorts and T-shirt, not to mention, neither of the two servers said "Hi" or anything as I walked by them to take a seat. As expected, I was rarely checked on and, of course, I ran out of water and had to wait forever for a refill. Mind you, at this point there was only me and another table there. The servers were busy, however. One was busy dancing to the music to impress the other and the other was busy on his phone, or just standing around with the other guy. When I got my food, my main course came out before my appetizer, which arrived several minutes after the ramen. I asked for my ramen spicy as I always do and all the other times, it looks like the mix chili oil or some other neutral tasting spice in it. This time they just "plopped" a gob of sone thick chili paste that had a pronounced sweet yet pungent flavor, it wasn't even mixed into the broth (although with that odd flavor, I'm glad it wasn't mixed in). I had to remove it, along with many of the noodles, since this paste stuck to the noodles. The broth was not flavorful like it used to be, and a lot of the ramen noodles were clumpy and hard, so I had to discard them. I hadn't ever even considered hard clumpy noodles because, in the past, the noodles were always cooked perfectly. As I was eating I noticed the wall that was immediately to my left, had splatters of stuck on, dried food all over, which is pretty gross. I was afraid to scrutinize the place anymore because I'm sure that I could find many more filthy, uncleaned areas, within a five foot radius without even trying. I couldn't help but think that the servers that were doing essentially nothing (they sure as heck were not being attentive to me or the other table that was there) could have been CLEANING this FOOD ESTABLISHMENT. What a concept! This is the last time I will be giving this place my money in return for bad service, a filthy establishment food that is not great. Plus I have to wonder: if the staff doesn't care about having a clean, safe dining room, what must the kitchen and back of house look like? read more

this place is closed down! YELP took my money though. we ordered last night and wondered why it never showed up. we called and the phone just rings and rings. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

Bringing it down a star because the last 2 times I went my food wasnt that memorable. The pork broth lacked seasoning and it just hasn't been the same. Too bad cause it was really good the first time. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Gyozas - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

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This is one of my favorite places to get ramen, and I was so sad when I saw that they were temporarily closed--especially since I've been craving soup so much during finals week. I drove past the restaurant just to see if they were closed for business and was pleasantly surprised to see they're still open!! This is the only place my friends and I go to get ramen in this area. It's always so good and the inside is clean and well-kept. Will update with more pictures inside when I go back--because I WILL be going back asap. New temporary hours: 12-3 pm and 6-9 pm read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

I have tried ramon all over the usa but the noodles and broth in this is the best. Odd place for this a&m off campus food place. Staff was nice and place was clean. Price is what you would expect. Come and try the best. read more

We arrived as a party of 2 and were sat after a party of 6, 25 minutes after entering. We then continued to wait for 20 minutes before being served water. Usually I love this place, but things have gone downhill in the past few years. read more

Enjoyed the spice level of the broth,it was on point! The rock shrimp was fresh and lightly fried,delish! We had the Spicy Tanaka Ramen, pork chashu meat was amazing ..recommend spice level 2! Harris was our server and he took very good care of us,thank you for making our experience so good. The strawberry mochi ice cream and Peach lemonade were both awesome. Loved the ambience too,just right:) read more

Some of the best ramen in town. Sad that they changed their to go portions. There now is not enough broth to even cover the noodles . read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

I had a very disappointing experience at this ramen restaurant. We ordered just one extra serving of noodles, only to be charged double the price, with the explanation that one portion was for the soup(broth). A broth cost me 3.5 dollar? Are you kidding me? It felt like a rip-off. Beware of hidden charges! read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

I took my friend here yesterday for her birthday lunch and I was not disappointed. This is going to be my new ramen spot! Great service and very nice employees, the food was amazing too. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Spicy Chicken - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

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I love this place! Their ramen is super yummy and so are the chicken baos! Prices aren't too bad and is totally worth it. However, do not get the tofu!! We paid around 6$ for a total of 6 pieces of tofu and enough spring onions to feed a small cow .... read more

Tanaka Ramen - Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen Agedashi Tofu - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

The food is good, I actually enjoyed it, it's really not bad for being the only Ramen Joint in Town. The ambiance is nice, if anything it could be colder inside especially when it's summer and people are trying to get a hot broth fix and remain comfortable. Now to why this is a 2 star rating. I went in recently with my wife, we checked in with the host and he notified it would be a moment while they cleaned a table off for us. We sat off to side and waited patiently. While sitting there some others walked in looking for a table, an employee walked up to them and excitedly greeted them as if he new them. They were sat immediately while we were ignored we waited an additional 5 minutes before walking out. It sucks that this is the only Ramen place in town and I'm sad to say I will not be returning. I'll happily drive an hour away to get my Ramen fix than give this place my business again. read more

The broth has no favor for the classic.. For rich favor garlic broth, they just put in raw garlic and there has no garlic flavor taste in the soup.. read more

The best ramen place for sure in college station. The pork broth was super nice. I ordered the spicy chasu ramen. It was rich , flavourful, the pork was super tender. A must try for all ramen lovers. read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

Food portion was misleading because you can't tell me I am fat. I know I'm not fat. That is just not enough food. For what I got it was it was good. level three spice has a kick!! Haha! Had to get a 5 layer beef burrito from Taco Bell after though and I'm giving that 5 stars, now that is how it's done. You can't tell me I'm fat though, that Tanaka portion was straight up wack! read more

The ramen itself is prepared differently every time I go. It's very inconsistent, but always good. A big problem is the servers. Very inattentive, especially for such a small, open restaurant. They can walk by several times and not take an order or walk by empty glasses for 15 minutes without offering a refill. It's very frustrating and at times ruins the experience. Really no excuse for this. Update: removed a star because I showed the server a fly in my ramen and the best they could do was a 15% discount on the ramen. The ramen that came out cold and noodles severely undercooked. The food and service get worse with each visit. read more

I had the Tanaka Miso Ramen, it wasn't too bad, however, I think the spice was a little overbearing which clouded the flavor of the broth. The noodles were pretty good in my opinion and everything else was solid. For being one of the only ramen places here in College Station it's pretty good, but I think this place has some untapped potential in terms of food. The service was alright and it could have been better, but I think that's because they're so busy. I will say though, the atmosphere here is amazing, it feels comforting and elegant and just looking around the place was a treat. So all in all, not too shabby. read more

Bottom Line: Tasty food at slightly elevated prices, due to location near A&M campus. Proficient & welcoming staff. Clean premises. Top Line: My lunch order was a richly flavored generous bowl of noodle soup (Tanaka Classic at $12.50). The broth flavor was very strong. I suspect miso was in there somewhere adding strength to the taste. Others might say the flavor was too much, particularly those who are salt averse. But I found it to be a good strong punchy flavor hit. The three or four pork chasu (pork belly) pieces in the soup were strongly marinated, cooked to super tender falling apart doneness, and sparsely squirted with a delightfully strong chili sauce that lit up my mouth very well, thank you very much. There were also a bunch of what I think we're long mushroom threads in the soup that added a bit of solidity & texture. The medium boiled egg halves brought just a bit more substance to the soup as well. Seaweed salad at $3.80 was more leaves of spring greens than seaweed, so a bit of disappointment on that. The sesame seeds freckling the top added a nice additional flavor note that really helped the salad. Medium grain steamed rice in its bowl was somewhat crusty/dry in spots. The rest was appropriately sticky for eating with chopsticks. Overall, for the price I expected a little more attention to the execution of the dishes than I got today. Waitress was friendly & conscientious in checking back to insure all was well. Tables, floors, and other surfaces seemed to be clean. Windows & downlights kept the interior from feeling dark. read more

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We ordered the Tonkotsu Black Ramen and Takoyaki Octopus Balls to-go since the establishment was packed friday night. Staff wear masks and they practice social distancing, so on nights when its not packed we feel comfortable eating in. Ramen here is always top notch and good portion sizes. The Takoyaki is my favorite, in fact I ate it all before I could take photo! read more

Tanaka Ramen - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

1 because it was ready on time 2 because it looked cute First red flag: chain restaurant Second red flag: I see no cars in the their parking lot Third red flag: no Asians in sight And just being honest I gagged on my first bite and gave it to my husband and he also couldn't eat it...My whole day went down hill after this... I ordered tonkotsu shio. No hate on the other ones. I would recommend spicy read more

The owner changed and menu is changed bit also their Ramen taste has been UPGRADED alot! Our server JP and Brady did AMZING job for us. read more

Not sure why the ratings are so low. Four of us stopped by on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed most everything. The tonkatsu black was very flavorful but the spicy version (although tasty) was too strong for the broth and overpowered the dish. The cold ramen was good, especially for hot weather. I personally didn't like the meat in the cold ramen but everyone else did, so that's just a personal taste thing. I ordered the sukiyaki and it was a little sweet and a little salty and a little umami. Very good. If you are hungry, I suggest the add-ons to your entrée for a few extra bucks. The gyozas were quite good, as were the fried chicken balls. I didn't care for the salad, though. There was too much heavy dressing and the limp spring greens couldn't hold up to it. Romaine or Iceberg would be a better choice (and less dressing). The service, although pleasant, was typical for BCS (ie. Friendly and clueless). We'll return. read more

Finally, decent Asian food in College Station! * * * Ramen generally is good stuff. When you lose the ramen lottery - you get a place that makes it with bottom of the line pork, and enough grease to lubricate your car. Once you are in the high integrity places, and Tanaka is a high integrity place, What you are going to get is going to be completely satisfying, comforting and good. Restaurant Ramen is like sex and chocolate. Even when it is average, it is pretty damm fine. * * * Two things set Tanaka apart. a) Most other Asian restaurants in Bryan College Station are weak or are just hanging in there. In Lilliputia, a normal man stands like a giant. b) The decorating is absolutely positively stunning. This is by far one of the best looking restaurants in BCS. Most of the seating is at a large common table in five stripes - varnished wood (twice), black zen stones (twice) and a center strip of underlit translucent glass. I could stare at those black zen stones and the translucent glass from now till forever. The table is interrupted at the two thirds mark by two giant pillars that hold up nine tranlucent underlit glass boxes with fine Japanese ceramic bowls inside. Got the kiddies with you? Not a problem. Over on the side there is a giant glass case with a huge black death samurai in full armor. The samurai is six hundred thousand million times cooler than any suit of armor I was shown in a museum. It is too bad they don't have a liquor license - Because this would be an ideal location to drink two or twenty or two hundred sakes, letting the coolness of the zen stones, the illuminated glass and the dark samurai take over my senses. * * * But as it is, all I can intoxicate myself with is ramen noodles. If you can't intoxicate yourself with ramen noodles, You are just not trying hard enough. read more

I would rate this experience 5 for the pork buns, 5 for the spicy chicken ramen, and a 3 for the beef rice. It could just be that I'm not familiar with rice at a Japanese restaurant, but it was sticky (not fried) and the ratio of add ins (meat, onions, egg, etc) was off. Beautiful restaurant with an open kitchen. But if you come, I'd recommend ramen over rice. Oh, and spicy is nose running spicy - but I loved it! read more

Tanaka Ramen - Wonton - Ramen Near Me - College Station, Texas

I used to love this place and the tonkatsu Ramen. It was one of my comfort foods but deserved it for take out the other night and something didn't taste right. The broth and something in it tasted very bitter. It just tasted off.... THEN TODAY ISEE THW RESTAURANT REPORT CARD FROM.KBTX AND THEY SCORED A 78!!!!! DISGUSTING!!! Never again will I eat here. There is no excuse for a low score like that... that just shows negligence and laziness. You don't care about the food coming out of your kitchen, I don't care to give you my money. read more

Pretty authentic !! Great service and good soup!! Vegetarian friendly menu was awesome came with green noodle with veggie base soup!! read more

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I am severely disappointed in Tanaka. I loved this place so much, there was a point where I ate here 4 times in 1 week. I haven't been in a while and was looking forward to my meal. I should've listened to the reviews because this place has gone so downhill. My roommate and I came at about 12:30 on a Sunday to eat a nice lunch. When we got here, they had no Karaage chicken , no rice dishes, and other items. They said they were too busy the night before so there was no rice prepped. We got told it would be hours before the rice was ready. Well, a huge party came in about 10-15 minutes after us. They were seated and told the rice dishes wouldn't be available for another 15-30 minutes (when we had been previously told it would take hours). As a result, my roommate didn't eat because they were here to eat one of the rice dishes. I ordered a pork bun and all it had was the pork and 2 sad slices of cucumbers. Then, the server assigned to our table was the worst server there. She only checked on us 3 times, while I saw the other servers checking on their tables multiple times. Mine came over once to take our order, then to bring my food, and finally to bring the check. I needed some more of my drink, but she took so long, we had to ask another server. I also asked her for a to go bowl. Once I got my bowl, my original server came over quickly and set the bill down. I paid and left super disappointed. I would not recommend this place to anyone, which makes me upset because the food here used to be so good. You're better off saving your money and going somewhere else, like Aji sushi or something! read more

Food wasn't bad but way to expensive. Seating arrangement is wack and expect to sit across from random people. And your chopstick skills need to be on point. read more

I tried the ramen but the noodle is not very good. Similar to instant noodle. The chicken wings are good. Here is more expensive than PHO. read more

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