Tajima Ramen House

this is my favorite ramen place i’ve ever had! although i haven’t been to Japan yet so I can’t say that won’t change :) I love the tonkotsu and last time i tried the tajima tonkotsu which had a little more toppings and it was very good! I recommend both.
The wait can get a little long on busy nights like thurs, fri, and sat so make sure you get there early, you can be waiting up to 45 minutes :/

Ramen is always on point here. Tonkatsu broth is buttery and rich and hits the spot. Music is pretty loud but they always have the latest hip hop. Place is poppin late night on the weekends since they are open until 2 AM.

The décor and feel of the restaurant is completely opposite of the outside, it kind of feels like a hidden gem! Very modern and quaint, parking outside is hard to come by though! We came in a little past lunch time so we were seated right away and our order was taken shortly after.
We got the fried squid, miso ramen, tonkatsu ramen, the spicy sesame ramen and the curry chicken karaage. I loved the fried squid and the japanese mayo and lemon really brought out the flavor of the squid. I had the miso ramen and it was alright. Definitely not my favorite ramen I’ve ever had, but still pretty enjoyable. I tried the two other ramens and to be honest they weren’t that special either. The curry and karaage were really yummy! All their fried food came out pipping hot (i think they fry them fresh!!)
Would recommend trying out this place, but try to come at a reasonable time and date. My sister told me when it hits peak times the wait can reach up to an hour plus.

I really like the vibe of this place. Good décor, decent seating setup, terrible parking unless you time it right (aka get lucky and arrive right when someone leaves). Not really great for families… the music is pretty uncensored.
Service was good. We were promptly seated at the bar area, they gave us 5 – 7 minutes to order, and swung by to check up on us/​take our order. Perfect timing for my friends and I.
Food: We ordered a curry ramen, Tajjma ramen, and spicy sesame ramen. It was all really good! They give you the option to get thin or fat noodles, and we all ordered fat. The waiters compare the two to angel hair pasta and spaghetti, but I think the fat noodles would be more akin to linguine. My only critique would be that the noodles were kind of stuck together. Eggs were SO GOOD. Tasty but not overboard on the salt.
Verdict: great go-​to for a late night dinner if you don’t mind tough parking!

I have been here multiple times and enjoy it each time. I’ve come here before the whole remodel thing happened and enjoy the new look. It is a bit more modern now.
Parking is tough here during peak times and there is usually a long wait. Be prepared to park elsewhere and walk over!
Service here is pretty good. The only thing that bothers me is that they let their waiters wear tanks, especially the guys. Nothing wrong with tanks outside of a restaurant but when serving food, I do not want to see deodorant chunks fall into my noodles when you bring me my bowl.
I always get the pork ramen and it comes with large slices of meat. Gotta go with the fat noodles. The broth is flavorful and everything goes well together.

My second time here and it’s okay. We went on a Friday night and there was a wait. Not too long tho. Probably like 10 – 15 mins.
I would give this place a 3.5 stars. Mainly bc almost all the employees seemed to be in a bad mood. Our server came over to us after 3 minutes of being seated and bugged us about ordering. I was a little slow bc I’m not a huge fan of ramen and I was checking all of the vegetarian options. I asked for another minute and she walked away. After another 3 minutes she came back and I just picked the vegetable tempura over rice.
Food was okay. We got quite a few of appetizers. Favorite appetizer was the Kim chi fried rice. Oh my… So good. Justice created his own ramen and I was satisfied with my vegetables.
I wouldn’t go here again unless my bf wanted to. Again not a huge fan of ramen but food wasn’t bad.

Sa-​bro-​so.
Comimos muy bien aquí. BBB
Rápido, muy buen sabor y buen precio.
Toca aprovechar su promoción de publicar aquí y recibir un helado gratis.
Dénse!

Pretty much my go to for ramen in San Diego, been coming here for years! The down part of this place is most definitely the parking. It’s extremely tiny and there’s some spots that are reserved for the neighboring shops. It gets extremely busy, especially at night. They do not take reservations and will not seat you unless your whole group is with you.
The size of the ramen always a generous amount. You can always add extra sides too if you’d like! Servers are always great and so is the service

All I usually get is the ramen and the Salmon Tataki. The other items on the menu were so-​so. For ramen, I usually get the Tonkatsu with fat noodles. It comes with the basics but you can add more toppings for an additional charge. The Salmon Tataki is seared sashimi in sauce. It’s actually quite tasty and the only appetizer I now get.
The staff needs work. Service is a hit or miss. One of the hostess from our recent visit was one of the worst. Long story short, she sat a few parties (some bigger, some smaller) before us because we specifically had 5 people. Plus, she could’ve waited for one of the smaller tables to be cleaned up (took only a minute) before rushing to seat a group of 2 at a table that could’ve seated us because it took us even longer to be seated waiting for another party to eat. It was crowded when we were there with several parties after us but by the time we sat down, there were barely any other party waiting as they’ve been seated before us. I understand that there are some fire hazard issues that prevents us from being seated at a certain table but she was completely rude about it and that was what frustrated me the most.
Parking can suck. Be aware that some spaces are reserved for certain shops. Part of the parking lot is small and cramped.

I came here with a group of friends for the second time on Saturday night and it was packed. The parking lot is also terrible so you’re better off finding street parking. Our group of 5 waited probably around 30 minutes for a table.
I liked how you can customize your order here. You can select which ramen flavor you what, the size of the noodle, and add additional toppings (for an additional cost). I and a few others ordered the tonkatsu ramen with thick noodles. I liked the dish but my only complaint is its small portion. I came in hungry and after the ramen, I was still hungry. My bf got the tsukemen and wasn’t very pleased about it. He thought the sauce could have been better but he did like the chasu.
Overall, I would give Tajima a 3.5. I honestly wouldn’t come back here on an empty stomach because the wait is long and the food isn’t filling.

I was visiting sd for the weekend with a friend and was recommended this place by my cousin who lives in the area. I had really high expectations after all the good things she had to say and seeing all the great reviews. The inside was really nicely decorated and I expected a long wait from what she said but we only waited about 5 minutes.
They have an option on the menu to make your own ramen, like choose your own broth, what type of noodles, and what toppings, etc., and at first I thought about doing that, but it’s about $ 1 per topping you want to add and I realized it adds up pretty quick. It’s honestly a lot more worth it if you just order a preset ramen. They also offer a wide variety of things on their menu besides ramen if that’s not your thing, and I actually saw a good amount of people eating something that looked like an omelette. It looked super yummy but my cousin said I absolutely had to order the spicy sesame so that’s what I got.
When I got my food, I was super pleased because I tend to eat with my eyes, and the food looked beautiful! Once I got a taste, the sesame flavor was very very strong. It had a really good spice to it, however, and the broth was nice and creamy just how I like it. My friend that I was with had ordered the tajima ramen with thin noodles and let me have a taste of it. I thought it was super plain compared to the spicy sesame, and I liked my fat noodles better. One thing I really did not like was the amount of garlic pieces they put in the broth, it was good at first, but after a few bites, the garlic flavor just becomes too overpowering.
Overall, nothing too special, especially in regards to my expectations. I don’t really see why this place has an insane amount of reviews. It was really good, but nothing that completely blew me away.

This Tajima is not what it used to be during my college days! This once hip and always at max capacity restaurant has really lost its charm.
My favorite shoyu ramen has now become «soy sauce» ramen that uses the exact same base as the pork based ramen. Why even leave one on the menu when they’re almost identical? The shoyu ramen at almost every other ramen shop I’ve been took has a clear soup, not a milky looking one like the one they’ve changed it to here.
Also, the staff aren’t as friendly and fun as they used to be. Service was not on par anymore. It just seems colder in the restaurant. It’s not the warm and cheerful place I used to love to dine at.

As far as ramen goes in San Diego, this place is not bad! Pretty good actually. Tucked away in convoy in one of those pockets where parking is literally impossible, sits Tajima ramen house. Don’t let the location fool you, because once you step inside, its actually a pretty spacious with some hip décor.
I ordered the miso ramen, because a ramen place is only as good as its miso ramen. Its a «Tonkotsu» soup base with miso was my favorite part. The broth was thick and filled with flavor. Egg was also cooked well! It was soft boiled, so still oozy in the middle.
Also ordered the Salmon Tataki; which was my least favorite thing that I ordered. The sauce was a little on the tart side and just overpowered the natural freshness of the fish.
Heard this place gets super busy in the evening, but finding a table during lunch was a breeze.

My girlfriend and I are a little late getting in on the ramen craze, so we decided to head to Kearny Mesa and try out one of the more authentic spots. Just a word of warning that there are several noodle houses in a small area, and I don’t suggest going on Saturday afternoon because it’s crazy-​busy! This helped us decide where to go as there was a long wait at most of them.
We found almost no wait at Tajima, which could be considered a warning, but they have a 4-​star rating on Unilocal,so we tried it anyway. Boy were we happy we did! The food was really good, the service was attentive and knowledgeable, and the price was competitive. The dining room is a bit small, but not overcrowded.
We started with the Salmon Tataki, which consists of slices of raw tuna with a seared edge, drizzled with ponzu sauce. At first I thought the small slices on the tuna were slivered almonds, but it turns out that they’re thin slices of crispy garlic. They added a nice crunch to the dish, which is so good that it has become a must-​have when we return.
On to the ramen, which was the reason we came here. We ordered the House Tajima Ramen, and I added some extra Kakuni since we were sharing. Turns out I didn’t need to order the Kakuni because there was plenty in the ramen already.
Anyway, their house ramen is delicious! It’s important that the broth be delicious because it’s the star of the show, and this broth is rich and tasty. When the other ingredients are added, including pork, noodles, soft-​boiled egg, and green onions, the result is a very tasty dish that ends up being very filling. We will definitely be back to try Tajima’s other ramen dishes.

I love Tajima. Been here a few times with my gf who introduced me to ramen. And just introduced my BF here. He does prefer Rakiraki more than here or Shabu Shabu, which I do agree with him. The ramen is always good. Love the broth. But this visit we were feeling a bunch of apps and poke. We had squid kaarage, gyoza, pork shumai, mussels dynamite, shrimp and veggie tempura, salmon poke bowl, spicy ahi bowl and wash it down with Julian Cider. Everything was good, but tad bit pricier than most Ramen house. Still one of my fave.
Btw, parking is insane and expect to wait minimum 20 minutes.

I’ve never had REAL ramen before and all I can say is I’m glad I ate ramen for the first time at Tajima. I’m a vegetarian so I was hoping they had vegetarian friendly ramen, and they did!
The staff was friendly, service was quick, and the atmosphere is nice. I’ll be a regular here I’m sure whenever I need a ramen fix!

The ramen here is quite delicious! On two separate occasions, I got the tajima and the tokotsu ramens. Both were equally good, but I like the tajima ramen better. There was more toppings in the tajima ramen and overall just tasted better to me.
Monday through Friday they have happy hour on appetizers from 3−6pm. Great deal! We tried the edamame and the takoyaki. Both great. The takoyaki is on the rich side and is also quite filling.
The first time we went the service was great. However the second time we sat at the bar and service wasn’t so good. When we had finished our meal was the only time a waitress came over and asked if our meals were ok. Well they must have been because we were already done, duh. This is the reason for 4 stars…
The food is the redemption here, so I’d be back for the food and hopefully the service will be ok when I do go back.

I don’t think I can say that I have had the opportunity to eat real ramen.
Coming here was exciting for me, mainly because the broth has been over the stove for twelve hours (that is what I was told).
I had been really under the weather, hence no reviews for the last few weeks.
Nice digs, we at at the community table. Neat experience, because it was not to crowded.
The soup was really good, I had ordered extra chicken… it only had one piece so waitress gave me a couple more pieces.
The only thing I would do differently is to order without the boiled egg. I think I would liked it better.
We had hot tea, it was good for my throat. This soup did make me feel a lot better. I also like how helpful the staff was; they explained the menu and made many suggestions.
Careful, it’s really hard to find parking.

Came here on Easter Sunday not because we were craving ramen, but mainly because our first two picks of Lucha Libre and Phil’s BBQ was closed for the «holiday.» Regardless, this establishment has been on our radar for a while and we were glad to see that Asian restaurants don’t cease to disappoint us on being open on days when most places would be closed. Here’s the breakdown on what we tried out for our Easter luncheon:
Takoyaki (⁵⁄₅): Those who visit ramen restaurants on a normal basis will know what these are. For those of you that don’t, these are essentially small pieces of Octopus drenched in some yummy white sauce and essentially deep fried as bite sized spheres. I have never been to a place where I’ve been disappointed with an order of these and I’m going to take it to the next level in saying that Tajima makes the best ones I’ve ever had to date! A definite must if anyone checks this place out.
Tajima Ramen (⁴⁄₅): I’m usually not too picky about my ramen… as long as it’s delicious, fatty, and the noodles aren’t overcooked, I’m content. Unlike most ramen bowls I’ve had before, the broth for this entrée looked milky. They claim that it’s an original «Tonkotsu» soup, but I feel like there’s a bit of a variation to it from what I’m used to. With all that said, the overall quality of this dish was pretty damn good. The only thing I think that would have made it perfect is if they’re able to make the egg more yolky.

Yummy!
I love that this place closes super late, so when I’m feeling hungry late at night, this is a definite option. Beware the parking lot though, theres like 10 spots and people constantly trying to fight for parking.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is really nice and hip. The servers are all super nice and super friendly, *SHOUTOUT TO BRYAN*!
The food is decent! I have had the various ramen options and I think the tonkotsu with thick noodles is the best. The broth is slightly creamy and has just the right amount of saltiness. I always add corn to my ramen because your girl has to have her corn in her ramen: D I wish they wouldn’t be so skimpy on the pork chasu because it is SOO good. Their soft boiled egg is also delicious and very comparable to other ramen places like raki raki and yakyudori.
If I’m not feeling ramen, I get their katsu curry which is also decent or their chicken karaage with rice. Their katsu curry tastes fine, nothing that stands out too much. Although, the chicken karaage is one of the best I’ve had and has always been on point with the perfect crispyness and soft chicken texture. It’s served with their spicy mayo sauce on the side.
Overall, decent food. A good place to go to satisfy that late night hunger since other places on convoy close early

My number one love from this place is the German potato fries. It’s porkbelly and mayonnaise all over the fries. Heaven on a sizzling plate. I also love the shoyu ramen with fat noodles. They’re spicy miso ramen is good too.
They’re flavor sake are good, especially the lychee one. Our server Anais was awesome, she knows what she’s talking about when you have questions about the food. This place is all around good vibes with good music.

This place is always good. The servers are always friendly. love their tonkotsu Ramen with extra eggs and pork. Their salmon tatake is amazing. Love the food.

Es limpio y muy rico. La sopa es rica. Me gustan los takitos de queso crema. Tienen que venir. El ambiente es muy caluroso.

Esta muy rica la sopa, picosita, se la recomiendo, vengan a probarla, y el chicken teriyaki tambien

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of Japanese ramen. My friend however was raving about their miso ramen so I thought I’d give it a try. It really tasted like any other ramen you can get at any other Japanese restaurant. The service was okay.

Delicious food!!! love the spicy ramen soup! And the German potato! I come here at least twice a month! I totally recommended!

I ordered ramen to go. By far the best «to-​go» ramen I had. Granted… most ramen places I’ve been to do not offer take out lol I thought the broth was very flavorful and the noodles were of a good consistency. I would go back and actually eat there. I must say though, when I arrived to pick up my order, it took a while for someone to assist me. They were not busy at all. It was a weekday and the place was probably ¹⁄₃ full. I was standing by the bar for maybe 5 minutes… awkwardly trying to make eye-​contact with any worker. Nope… no such luck. Hence, the 3 stars.

So this is my second experience at a Ramen noodle house, and this time was no better than the first. I opted for the spicy sesame Ramen noodle dish and I have to say it was quite good. The Ramen was outstanding, the broth was a spicy concoction of deliciousness, the pork was finely sliced and good flavored, and the egg was your typical Ramen Styrofoam boiled egg! I’m not quite certain what the fad is here, but I thought overall the meal was good. All said I was in/​out in 20 minutes for just over $ 10.
What was not good though was the parking! I read the other reviews and typically in this whole Kearny Mesa area parking I understand is a little challenging. But at this restaurant it takes challenging to a whole new level! I understand that the rating for a restaurant should be for the food itself and that perhaps I should be able to walk across a desert of broken glass to have a tasty Ramen noodle dish, but the parking was just so God awful I’m not really quite certain that I could recommend this seriously. So did the parking take away from the restaurant experience? Yeah… I have to say it did.
So here’s the rundown:
Satisfied? Yes
Return? No
Advocate? No

Didn’t care much for having to sit in a giant square next to strangers. Bumping elbows with others or getting stares from people as I slurp up my noodles makes the appetite go away.
On a brighter note the ramen was great. I especially enjoyed the broth. Pork based delicious broth.
Next time I’ll probably get it to go.

Decided to give Tajima another shot after a disappointing experience a few years back. The décor is much improved, although the music got kind of obnoxious, like it was trying to be a hip hang out place.
I ordered the Tajima ramen, and I was pretty satisfied. The broth was light for a tonkotsu, but still flavorful, and I liked the undertones of ginger in the broth. The fried garlic chips were a pleasant addition to the toppings, and I always love me a marinated soft-​boiled egg. The chashu wasn’t bad either. As for downsides, the kakuni was tasty, but a tad bit chewy, and the fat noodles were the opposite – good texture, but not that flavorful.
All in all, this was definitely a better experience than I last remember.

Delish! One of the best Ramen spots in SD. My family and I have been going there regularly ;-)
Do know parking is tough especially in the evenings past 7pm and especially on the weekends… but then again you’re in the «Convoy District” — For those familiar with SD, this area is known to have the best Asian restaurants.
Service is good and if there is a long line, don’t hesitate to write your name on the list it’s worth the wait! Your taste buds & tummy will thank you

K listen. It hurts to give Tajima less than 5 stars, because it’s the best ramen place in SD. But there are certain things they need to address.
**THE FOOD IS DOPE** so that’s not the problem. HOWEVER:
— parking lot is tiny. don’t be surprised if some dickhead double parks behind you so you can’t get out. but that’s if you can even get a spot to begin with. you’ll probably end up parking in the nearby dark alley where your car is subject to grand theft auto by the local triads.
— (most of) the waiters are GARBAGE. the last 3 times i’ve eaten here, our server has either:
A. fucked up someone’s order
B. fucked up splitting the bill, and charged us incorrectly
C. shown complete disinterest in us as customers, and provided poor service
i’m often tempted to passive-​aggressively give them a $ 0.01 tip but i’m not a (total) scumbag. tajima please fire these people and get new ones.
— they can’t take more than 3 credit cards per table. seriously what the FUCK? it usually ends up as 3 of us paying with cards, and the other two with cash. or, if nobody has cash, you end up paying for someone. then they say they’ll pay you back. but they probably won’t. that’s just awkward. and it all stems from this stupid 3 card limit. TAJIMA, FIX IT!
— they play shitty music all the time and it completely ruins the atmosphere.
all rants aside, dat お好み焼き makes me feel like no other お好み焼き does. friggin delicious.

First things first, Tajimas is
located in a small corner in a Convoy quad so you’re gonna have to look hard for parking. Fortunately I went around 6 PM so there were a few spots open & people were constantly leaving as well. You’re bound to eventually find parking though.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: They were quick & accommodating.
I started dinner off with a few appetizers. The appetizers I ordered were…
SALMON POKE: The portion is a little small compared to the price, which was $ 9, other than the price, the fish was really fresh. They give you lemon on the side & there’s siratcha on the table for some added flavor! The slices of salmon were generously cut!
SQUID: This was a little salty for my taste but my boyfriend thought it was delicious. Very crispy & chewy; the portion size is good too.
As for entrees my boyfriend & I ordered:
SALMON POKE BOWL: I had a salmon craving so I had to get a poke bowl as well as a poke appetizer. This is served on top of white rice & a side salad. The portion size is great; it definitely made me full! The spices in this bowl are just right. There is no fishy taste or smell to the salmon & it’s very flavorful.
TUNA POKE BOWL: I tried my boyfriends tuna bowl & although I’m not a fan of tuna it looked really fresh. This is also served with a side salad & on top of rice. My boyfriend said it was really tasty because the spicy mayo added on top enhanced the tuna flavors.

I’ve been coming here for a while and it is spectacular!
The tajima ramen, which is basically a regular tonkatsu but with pork belly is nothing short of amazing! The first bite of the pork belly surprises you with a burst of flavor.
The best part of this place is coming here late night!
Great service!

Noodles are amazing. ESPECIALLY NOODLE SOUP!
I like coming to Tajima because they have thick ramen noodles compared to other places! Their soup is decent but it always leaves me super dehydrated.
The restaurant itself has a great atmosphere. PERFECT for late night dinners and happy hour sake! They have a huge selection of appetizers and alcohol but I only come here for the ramen.
Parking can be HORRENDOUS. I went for lunch on Saturday and had to park 2 blocks away because the neighboring streets and the parking lot was full. There was a 15 minute wait because it was lunch but our servers were attentive!
I ordered the spicy sesame ramen with thick noodles. It was a lot better than I thought it would be. I normally get their Tonkatsu ramen which does the trick but the spicy ramen was great! There isn’t that much heat but there is a lot of flavor! I would definitely recommend!

The ramen is OK… I’ve definately had better.
Almost an hour after ordering, the party next to us had arrived, ordered, eaten and departed, so we asked where our food was. Shortly after, it finally came out. We were compensated with a small discount which was a nice thought, but came nowhere near to making up for the wait.
In the end, I don’t think it’s worth returning… even if I knew my order wasn’t going to be forgotten.

I am not really a Ramen fan. I grew up depending on Oodles of Noodles etc. for sustenance, so even though real Ramen is actually tasty, I wont go out of my way to pay to eat it.
I have eaten here before, and was impressed. The noodles and broth were very good. I really like the fact that they serve browned eggs. They are $ 1.00 per egg, but they are convenient. I usually buy them to put into my curry from next door.
My wife and daughter really like this place. They almost always eat there when we are in the area.
The only downside I can note is the cash only policy. I don’t really carry much cash these days.
Ohterwise, I am happy with this place, as my family seems to love it!

1^st time ever eating ramen and I have to say I’m hooked. I got the miso ramen and it was fantastic ! We had the fried chicken appetizers that were pretty good. The prices were good as well. The staff was friendly and willing to answer any questions we had and willing to get me a fork when I finally gave up on using chopsticks to eat my ramen. If I lived in town I would come here all the time !!

Our 3^rd visit to this place and i realised we hadn’t written a review for it.
Have tried a bunch of things in the past 2 visits. One of the things we hadn’t liked was their sake. Have definitely had better sake elsewhere. Their ramens are good. This past time, we had the curry ramen base + seafood mix + bamboo shoots and the original tajima ramen and both turned out to be good, with the curry ramen turning out to be better.

Probably one of my top ramen spots in San Diego. I always leave feeling pretty satisfied and I’ve been here quite a few times – sometimes because they’re open pretty late on weekends. Service can be a bit slow at times.
Most of the ramen options are pretty good so I would recommend any of them. Definitely should try out if you’re visiting.

I had very high expectations for this location because I love the Hillcrest Tajima so much. After a nice hike, a few friends and I stopped by this location for some sustenance. The restaurant is pretty big and has a polished décor. It was pretty full, but we were seated immediately.
The menu is more extensive than I expected, so I decided to venture out of my ramen obsession and ordered pork katsu curry. Unfortunately, I was brought chicken katsu curry. I decided to eat it anyway, since our server reported that she prefers the chicken, but I was pretty disappointed. The best thing in the dish was the rice. The chicken had little flavor and was a bit too dry. The curry was good. My dining mates seemed underwhelmed with their dishes, as well. My friend added salt to her spicy sesame ramen. Not a good sign. The food was okay, but I’ll probably stick to what I know and return to the Hillcrest location.

I was never a big fan of ramen until I found Tajima! I seriously can’t get enough.
As you can tell from Unilocal,it’s a popular place. The downfall is that they don’t take reservations, so expect a long wait because it’s always crowded during dinner time. You can always call to get an estimated wait time. The parking lot is small, and the parking directly in the front is reserved for the barber shop next door. I usually park in the lot across the street. This location is larger than the Hillcrest location, and it definitely has a more modern vibe to it.
I’ve tried the mussels and the German potato appetizers. Highly recommend the German potato! $ 6 for a plate of pork-​belly fries aka heaven. The ramen menu is simple — pick a broth, noodle size, and any additional toppings. I love the original Tonkotsu broth, but the miso is also a good choice. The service is very friendly, and they’re always playing r&b throwbacks. Wait times can be ridiculous, but there’s always a crowd for a reason. You just can’t get this sort of ramen anywhere else.

This ramen house is top notch. I ordered the spicy sesame ramen with shiitake mushrooms and extra noodles.
I love that they give you the option to choose thin or fat noodles, because I personally like thicker noodles. The broth is savory and flavorful, which harmonizes well with the barbecue pork, chives, and fried garlic. The only downside is that splitting the checks are limited, which doesn’t work well with large groups unless you have cash.

I used to go in and eat here every weekend. The parking never really bothered me because I would always go on my motorcycle. The décor is very hip and the music is a hit or miss depending on what station the workers put it on. Sometimes they play old school rnb or underground hip hop and other times they play annoying edm and fetty wap, but I wont let that affect my review.
The wait is always long so be prepared to camp in front. The staff is always kind and the service is great for the most part. Our favorite server Yoshi apparently moved away. :(but the other servers there are pretty good too.
Their beer selection is amazing and cheap. Sake bomb for 13 dollars?! What a deal!!! They also have flavored sake that is very sweet and flavorful~
When we go, we usually get our food pretty fast unless if there’s like a big party that was helped before us which is understandable and our server Yoshi would always check up on us and keep us updated on our order.
There’s so many appetizers to choose from. I would definitely reccomend the salmon tataki with jalapenos, german potato with cheese and jalapenos, the brussel sprout tempura, and the chicken karrage.
Here’s a little secret Yoshi told us. It’s not on the menu, but they have fried oysters, grilled squid, and a seared salmon salad (all very delicious!). The cream cheese wontons are pretty good as well, just make sure to order it with the sauce on the side because the sauce makes it really mushy.
As far as the entrees, we usually order the chicken katsu curry with a sunny side egg on top, hayashi omu rice, or the tonkotsu ramen with thin hard noodles. I love how they let you choose the type of noodles you want! The okonomiyaki is awesome as well.
I was born in Japan and grew up around the amazing food that was there when I was a lot younger. This is almost as good as the stuff in Japan. ALMOST.
Definitely recommend everyone to check this place out when you can. :)

We showed up for lunch on a Monday around 1 PM and the place was actually not crowded, thank goodness!
We were seated right away and we ordered almost exactly what we ordered from the other location just for taste comparison.
This location is actually much bigger and nicer than their Hillcrest location, but service is better at the Hillcrest location. They also have their own parking lot so you don’t have to worry about parking meters.
Joshua decided on the tonksotsu ramen (extra spicy) with extra noodles because we remembered that the portions were kind of small. I decided on the tajima ramen (medium spicy) and Owen stuck with the regular tajima ramen with extra noodles as well. We also ordered a tonkotsu curry rice plate to share.
Everything tasted great! The broth is on point and consistent with the other location, I might even have to say that it’s actually tastier.
The only problem was our servers had some miscommunication. The lady who took our order wasn’t the same person who brought out our food. The lady who brought out our food couldn’t tell the difference between the tonkotsu ramen and the tajima ramen so she kept going back & forth between the two bowls trying to decipher which was which. A little disturbing when your server is unsure of what they are serving you, but other than that, everything else was fine.

Review #044 — 2016
We showed up for lunch on a Monday around 1 PM and the place was actually not crowded, thank goodness!
We were seated right away and we ordered almost exactly what we ordered from the other location just for taste comparison.
This location is actually much bigger and nicer than their Hillcrest location, but service is better at the Hillcrest location. They also have their own parking lot so you don’t have to worry about parking meters.
Joshua decided on the tonksotsu ramen (extra spicy) with extra noodles because we remembered that the portions were kind of small. I decided on the tajima ramen (medium spicy) and Owen stuck with the regular tajima ramen with extra noodles as well. We also ordered a tonkotsu curry rice plate to share.
Everything tasted great! The broth is on point and consistent with the other location, I might even have to say that it’s actually tastier.
The only problem was our servers had some miscommunication. The lady who took our order wasn’t the same person who brought out our food. The lady who brought out our food couldn’t tell the difference between the tonkotsu ramen and the tajima ramen so she kept going back & forth between the two bowls trying to decipher which was which. A little disturbing when your server is unsure of what they are serving you, but other than that, everything else was fine.

Beautiful modern décor and great ramen! One of my go to places for ramen in San Diego. Downside is the parking lot is really small so you might have to park pretty far away and walk here. There was no wait at the restaurant for noon on a weekend.
I got the Tonkotsu Ramen ($ 8.50) with thin noodles. It comes with green onion, half an egg, pork chashu, and seaweed. The thin noodles are springy and more like what I’m used to. The broth was flavorful but not overwhelming. My boyfriend got the signature tajima ramen ($ 10.50) which included garlic, pork belly, and bean sprouts. The soup was a lot more garlicky and the pork belly was fatty and fell apart nicely when you were eating it.
Overall always a good choice for ramen and they are open late!

So his place was good, but nothing like Rakiraki across the street. Boyfriend and I were hungry after a night out, and we went in at about 1:30 am. Thank goodness one of the ramen shops around Kearny Mesa was open! Prompt service and a very friendly server. The ramen was good, but the noodles at the other place were too good for me to come back here if both options are available.
One thing I will say is to get the pork belly in your ramen. Oh man, it was AMAZING. Best piece of pork belly I have ever tasted.

Omg Underbelly, you may have competition here…
Wow, I haven’t been here since my college days and this place totally upgraded! It looks sleek, there seems to be more room for seats, and it definitely has a hipster vibe to it, even though this location is in the Convoy area.
Parking is hit or miss– most likely miss. I got lucky though, someone was leaving their spot right when we pulled into the tiny strip-​mall like area, so I didn’t have any problem with parking. :) My friend said she had to park across the street the last time she was here, so that can be an option for busy days.
The waiters got straight to the point, which I like (no small talk, just a ‘Can I take your order? What would you like to start with?’). We came here on a busy day and I didn’t feel neglected or forgotten, which can happen at a busy place with few waiters. So great job, that one guy waiter and that one girl waiter!
And now, to the vegan ramen… WOW. Its been a while since I had ramen, and this my friends, is racing its way to the top of my ramen list. It’s packed full of flavor, and will leave you full and satisfied. I’m definitely coming back here soon to get another taste.
Prices are decent, and if you check in on Unilocal,you get a free soda!

I’ve been here twice, once on a Sunday eve with my family and once on a Friday eve for take out. In both cases, the ramen is perfect (customized to my taste) and the service was excellent– very fast and attentive.
My only complaint– which anyone who goes on a regular basis would experience– the parking and wait for a table. They would make a killing if they offered valet parking :-)

This place has been reviewed so many times, so I won’t bore you talking about the ramen. Its delicious, by the way.
Two things
1) parking sucks. Dont even try to park in the lot, it will never happen!
2) service also sucks! All they need to do is improve their service a little bit and I’m sure this place will get 5 stars.
Oh well. I will still come back here.

I’m not very impressed. While the Tajima Ramen is okay, it’s definitely not the best ramen I’ve had. The soup does taste different from other tonkatsu based broth but lacks richness and was a bit too soupy. Add the fact that they forgot to put the ramen egg in both my bowl and my cousin’s.
The curry ramen was good, you can really taste the curry in the broth, but again, nothing very special.
I’m not quite sure why the hype around Tajima. It’s a good ramen place when cravings hit but nothing special. The line isn’t worth it, as everything I had, I had better elsewhere – from the edamame to takoyaki to the green tea ice cream.

I visited this place while in San Diego on vacation and this just might be the best ramen I’ve had in my life, thus far. The spicy sesame ramen is life changing! It is absolutely delicious and the spice level is just right! I need more of this delicious ramen in my life, but I sadly do not live in San Diego :-(My girlfriend ordered the tonkotsu ramen, which was also delicious! I definitely want to eat here again the next time I’m in the area!
Aside from the lovely food, the service was also great! The music was a tad loud, the food was so great, that it wasn’t really much of a factor! Whether you live here or you’re visiting, if you like ramen (or Japanese food, in general), you gotta check this place out!
On a side note, if you’re heading north on the 163 to check out this area of San Diego (lotsa cool Japanese markets and other things, aside from the delicious ramen), the exit to Balboa Ave (the closest exit to the area) can be a bit frustrating.

Came here because I needed ramen for my cold. We got seated within 5 minutes. They wrote my name on a list. We were seated at a booth.
I ordered water with no ice since I have a sore throat. For my ramen, I got the Tajima ramen which had thick noodles with slices of pork belly, sprouts, onions, roasted garlic, half a boiled egg and sea weed. The broth was delicious and was perfect for my cold. You can taste how rich the broth was. I already felt my nasal passages clear up as I drank the soup. The noodles were soft and flavorful. I also got to try the chicken Katsu which was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. It came with the sauce which was great. The only negative was they gave my daughter an expired apple juice so we told the waitress to replace it with an orange juice.
I loved the atmosphere cause there was hip hop music playing and felt like a dance club. Our waitress was super nice and service was fast. She made sure we were taken care of. I absolutely would come back if I was craving ramen.
Parking lot is fairly small but we didn’t have to worry since we got here late at night. Great place for ramen! I highly recommend this place.

The first and original Tajima before they open all the other ones. I love coming to this one beside the one in Hillcrest.
They finally added curry ramen ($ 8.50) to this location, and I had to get it. It’s a bit more watery than the one in Hillcrest. And the curry is also has a bit more spiciness to it. Also I love that your allow to pick thick or thin noodles. And to give it another kick I added cheese to it. Which gave it a spicy, cheese curry ramen. One thing that I was disappointed in was the egg. It wasn’t as soft boiled like I wanted. But love this ramen
Tokontsu Ramen ($ 8.00) this broth has change over the years. And I don’t like the new changes. It was perfect the way it was. Now its just overly salty. Wouldn’t get this ramen here anymore.
German Potato Fries ($ 5.95) Garlic french fries, onion, pork belly and mayo on top. Must get! And its a nice dish to share with everyone. Ask to get it extra crispy!
Scallop Croquette ($ 4.95) deep fried scallop with katsu sauce for you to get. If you love scallops this is a nice dish. I love how creamy it is and how it goes well with the katsu sauce with some lemon.
Overall, I love this location BUT I hate the parking here. Try to park at the streets than their parking lot since they share it with other people. And they do tow cars now. Also I love the new décor they recently had done. Its so much brighter and roomer than before.
Service here is great! They where fast at getting our orders, water cup filled all the way, food came out fast.

Every so often I develop a strong craving for ramen. Ramen is usually a very filling meal and Tajima’s delicious and flavorful ramen is no exception. I ordered miso ramen, with added kakuni pork belly, tofu, and corn. I asked the server if it can be spicy and I was definitely in for a flaming good treat. The pork belly was well marinated and a great addition to the miso ramen, which already came with thin slices of pork. For meat lovers, you would find that the default offerings of the thinly sliced pork just doesn’t quite do it. For moderate meat lovers, the addition of the pork belly may be a bit too much for oneself. Nonetheless, the surplus is better than a shortage.
I ordered the ramen with THICK noodles. They were soft, viscous, and gummy. Not chewy and had great texture. I also had a side of edamame, which was a great pairing with the ramen soup base, although I’m sure most people won’t eat it that way.
The bowls serving the ramen has a smaller circumference, but was taller than other ramen places. It made it somewhat difficult to eat, but I can’t complain because it was great ramen.
I came roughly 5 minutes before opening and there were over a dozen patrons waiting already. I recommend coming early to be safe.
Now that I had my ramen fix, I won’t be craving it for a while considering how filling it is each time I have it. And luckily for me, my craving only happens about once a month.