Ramen & Tsukemen TAO

We saw some things on the wall talking about Tsujita so I'm a little unsure if they're related or not. But while they're not Tsujita, TAO is a really great OC substitute for Tsujita! The broth is really flavorful and if you want more pizazz, they have a whole jar of garlic for you to add as you please.I got the spicy tsukemen and added an egg. I also got the spicy tao to add more spice. Service was pretty good but the restaurant is pretty tiny. I'll definitely be back if I'm in the area!

This ramen shop was recommended by one of my friend's clients, so we decided to stop by for a quick dinner. Ramen & Tsukemen TAO is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant and earned the designation in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The owner and head chef trained at Tsujita in Tokyo for 10 years (yes, it is the same Tsujita as the one in Sawtelle near Santa Monica) before opening his own restaurant. Apparently their broth is takes 40 hours to prepare.[Parking]: The parking lot is tight with limited spaces available.[Waitlist]: The restaurant uses a paper waitlist. We waited less than 10 minutes for a table for a weekday dinner. Limited seating with about 20 customers at a time.[Menu]: Their specialties are Miso Tsukemen (dipping noodle) and Miso Ramen. Miso Ramen are available in white miso or red miso options. Customers can choose between regular or large sizes.***Miso Tsukemen (regular, $16): Maybe I am just not be the biggest fan of tsukemen in general as I found the dipping broth to be slightly saltier than other tsukemen broths I've tried elsewhere. With that being said, I was a fan of their thick and chewy noodles.***I wouldn't mind visiting this ramen shop again to try their miso ramen instead of tsukemen, but I thought their tsukemen was just okay and parking was not convenient during the busy dinner hours. P.S. - The second Gardena Store is apparently closed.

Always busy but for good reason. If you come and see people outside you likely will need to wait between 20-45 min. Food is delicious and service is quick. This is our favorite ramen spot in the area.My only complaint is not about the restaurant but rather the customers! There are 16 seats in this restaurant and we have seen groups of customers that are sitting there, done eating, scrolling their phones or just sitting there talking for upwards of 30 min after they've eaten and their bowls have been cleared. Meanwhile, a dozen or more people are standing outside waiting for tables. On our most recent visit, there was a couple already sitting when I checked in. We waited 40 min for a table, ordered, ate and paid (with children in tow). When we left they were still sitting there chatting! The waiter checked on them several times to give them the hint hint nudge nudge but they didn't catch on!We will still come back as this is our favorite ramen in the area but wish some customers would be more considerate!

I've been enjoying the food here for years. Tao is well known for its miso and tsukemen ramen. If you like miso-style ramen, this place is for you. Although I have to watch my sodium intake these days, I occasionally treat myself to a heart-warming bowl or one of their rice bowls. My go-to ramen is the tsukemen, which has cold, thick noodles and warm, miso-savory broth. The Chashu Red Miso Ramen has a flavorful, bold broth and thick noodles. The chashu slices have a meaty texture, and have tender fat ends. If you like food with a kick, check out the spicy options. The regular-size ramen is also filling and more than enough for me to finish. The chicken ramen is also a delicious option if you prefer a lighter yet flavorful broth. The thin noodles and chicken slices were cooked well. Combos are also great options if you are hungry. The gyoza and karange are my favorite starters. Don't sleep on the rice bowls! My favorite is the Beef Bowl, reminiscent of the Japanese-style gyudon bowls from the most popular franchises in Japan. It features thin-cut meat with fatty pieces, sauteed onions, and a flavorful sauce that seeps into the rice. The staff at Tao has been consistently kind and accommodating every time I've dined here. Despite the limited dining space, the service and food quality make it worth the visit. It reminds me of a local ramen joint in Japan. I'm glad there are more top-rated ramen options in OC. The story behind the chef and shop is also interesting and available on their website.

Our go-to to-go ramen spot! We eat-in occasionally, but mostly I stop by to grab dinner which is always securely packed for the trip home.My steps at home:1. Open the bag.2. Open the container with topping and noodles, set the topping aside.3. Open little tubs of garlic and seaweed & add to noodles.4. Open the box of bean sprouts (you ordered a side of bean sprouts to add to your ramen, didn't you? That way you can claim you had your vegetables!) and add it to the noodles.5. Open the container of broth and pour over noodles.6. Finally! Add the topping!7. Ready, eat, be amazed.

Located in Buena Park on Valley View, this is a Michelin Bib-Gourmand Ramen shop from a Tokyo-based Ramen chef with almost 20 years of experience. Apparently, the broth takes 40 hours to develop its rich flavor. My wife went with the white miso ramen and I went with the spicy red miso ramen, which is richer in flavor. The ramen noodles in my red miso bowl were thicker than the noodles in my wife's white miso bowl. Both were perfect on this cold winter night. I got the large bowl - it was really filling as they gave a ton of noodles. I might have been okay with the "regular" size.We also got the chashu rice bowl, which has fatty chopped chashu pork over perfectly cooked rice and topped with some nice, sweet soy-based sauce. The only drawback is that it's a small spot with twenty seats and the compact parking spots are tiny/limited, but this place is one of my favorite local ramen spots and it's definitely worth a visit!

One of my favorite ramen shops in OC serving delicious bowls of tsukumen & miso ramen!I've been going here for multiple years now and their bowls of ramen have always been delicious and filling. The Sapporo noodles they use on the white miso ramen and the tsukumen noodles for the red miso ramen are on the thicker side, are chewy & bouncy, and stick to the broth well. Between the red and white miso, I prefer the red miso since it packs an even stronger miso flavor. All bowls come with sprouts, green onion, and a piece of chashu and with or without the spice ball. Their chashu is fatty and and tender and the size is good as well!If you want more chashu, I would opt for the chashu ramen or the larger sized bowls. If you want tsukumen, their miso tsukumen with or without more chashu is simply delicious and rivals that of Tsujita up in Sawtelle. The noodles dipped into the rich broth is such a great combinationService here is excellent and the staff are quick with placing orders and food comes out quick. It's usually busy here and it feels like you are in a ramen shop back in Japan with the décor and tables. Parking is available right in front in the little strip plaza. If you want rich, flavorful ramen look no further than TAO if you are in the area!

Amazing dipping ramen, service is fast had nice. Didn't have a reservation and wait time was not bad. Parking was also not bad! The ambiance is nice and clean, no frills. Dipping ramen was a perfect portion. Want to try their Dan Dan noodle next time.

Made a 20min drive out to check out this 3 time Michelin Star winner restaurant. I am surprised to see reviews on bad customer service because our experience was nice and it was busy. I can understand maybe a language barrier with the gentlemen bringing out the food but our waitress Yoshiko (name on the receipt) was great and taking care of every single table. It is a small place so expect a wait at peak hour. The food did not disappoint everything was great. I would not make the drive out but I'd definitely pay them another visit if I'm conveniently in the area.

Came here again because it was close by where I was. Thought I would give them a try again and update my review. Got the red miso ramen with dumpling combo. Two complaints. 1. Get another worker to serve.2. Took a bite into the first dumpling and it was cold. Told them it was cold. The guy takes it throws the other ones into a microwave and gives it back to me and guess what... they weren't nice enough to microwave the one I bit into. Never again. Don't come here for quality unless you want microwaved food. "Pan fried" more like microwaved