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Mon-Tue., Thu-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sun. 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Everything is so good. The seafood is fresh, the sushi is perfect.
I go to this place at least 3 times a week.
I've tried everything in the menu and nothing disappoints me.
Tried the special items that are on the wall. The noodles omelet style. Amazing!
This place is teeny tiny but its understandable because it is more focused on to go orders and not sit in. But anyways on to the food.
Tamago: 5 stars. huge pieces of egg. reasonable prices. delicious.
California Roll: 1 star. I dunno what happened but this totally bombed. Three of my pieces BARELy had any crab to it. Each of the pieces were lumpy and uneven. But what bugged me most was that it seemed like three of the meager pieces with little crab inside looked like they just gave me the end pieces with barely any rice or meat in it. I wish I woulda ordered something else.
Fried Oyster: Clearly the winner of the bunch. SO GOOD!! i dont even like oyster.
Tuna sashimi: It was cut ugly but my mom said the fish was very fresh.
Donburi the fried chicken with the spices. I don't know what its called. This dish was ok. The green onion pieces were huge and made the dish less pleasing to eat. The fried chicken was good but I feel like I could get this taste and dish at any other take out for cheaper.
Overall I would not come back here except for the oysters and tomago. Maybe you need to know what to order here to make the experience better? I however do like the fact it is very busy because I like to see the mom and pop stores supported!
A lot of the food definitely LOOKED and TASTED like homecooking. As for my CA rolls it looked like a blind 3 year old made it. JUST DO NOT ORDER that OK!?!?!?!?
I found Tani's Kitchen on the Yelp app, and was excited about its high ratings and low prices.. but I didn't expect it to be so SMALL! I was literally sitting next to the cash register on the bar. There was NO place to put my bag except on the counter with already very limited space. There were three tables.
I got fried shrimp with salad and rice and negihama. My boyfriend got the teriyaki chicken. His teriyaki chicken isn't what you see in most restaurants. The chicken is pre-boiled and teriyaki sauce is dumped on it when ordered. My shrimp was okay, not spectacular.. I didn't like the breading. The negihama was good, and very cheap. And they take credit cards; huge plus.
I would probably only come back for takeout.. it's just way too cramped!
[M]ona: 4 Stars
[W]ayne: 3 Stars
Average: 3.5 Stars
+ Authentic Japanese Food
+ Tastes like home cooking
+ Decent Prices
+ Friendly Service
+ Accepts Credit Cards
- Small shop / Need more seats
- Service can be slow sometimes
[M] Hopped over to Tani's Kitchen last night for some yummy sushi so I wouldn't be bored while waiting for Wayne to come home after running some errands. I gotta say, this is the best hole in the wall sushi spot you'll ever find in Daly City.
Got there around 9:15 pm or so, and thank goodness they were still open! The waitress saw us standing outside trying to decide what to order. She came out and asked what I would like to order, as I told her that we still needed a couple of minutes to decide. She not only didn't rush us but also gave me a menu so we could go inside and order instead of standing in the cold.
I ordered a Tamago Nigiri (Egg), Ika Nigiri (Squid), a Futomaki, a Philly Roll and also a side order of Macaroni Salad to go. Wanted to get an order of Uni too, but thought that I ordered more than enough food already. The total came to around $16.50. There wasn't much of a wait since they were nearly closing.
I didn't really enjoy the Macaroni Salad, but everything was so delicious. It kept my tummy satisfied all night long. Can't wait to come back here again! :3
[W] The food is good, but there's no place to sit and the wait is long. We usually end up ordering to go instead.
Go there if you want to be verbally abused by the chef and the waitress.
I was sitting at the counter, finished my meal, paid my bill, phone rang, answered my phone. The men behind the grill took his knife and spanked on the cutting board and yelled, "No Cell Phone!" I said, "I'm leaving now." He screamed, "No Cell phone in my restaurant!". By that time, the entire restaurant was staring at him (or me?). I was about to call the cop, but oh well, why waste my time with this crazy guy?
This is not the first time Tani's employee have been out of control, but definitely one that can make the headline of a newspaper.
Food is ok, quality is poor, pricing is cheaper than most Japanese restaurants. Service, what service? Parking is easy, seats are scarce.
Go there only if you can follow all the rules posted on the wall.
Best Japanese food in the area. WORST service ever. However, it's still my favorite place to go for… Read more »
In all honesty, the food is quite good. I've been there a few times and tried the boneless fried chicken with curry and also the hamburger steak with curry, and both were great.
Why 2 stars then, you ask? Well, customer service.
The day and time I went (between lunch and dinner), the restaurant was very empty. In fact, there was only another couple eating. The rest of the seats were vacant and there were no other customers waiting or coming in. I had placed an order to go, and was waiting there. I sat at the seat at the bar right next to the entrance, thinking it'd be okay to sit down and wait since the rest of the place was empty. After a minute, the waitress came over to me and told me to go wait outside. I looked at her first, a little surprised she was kicking me out when the restaurant was completely not busy at all, and I had just placed an order. She repeated herself again, in a more rude manner, and just said "go wait outside," gesturing at the door. No apologies.
I was in shock. I can totally understand if they are tight on seats, or if it was during peak dining times - in that case I would happily wait outside (if that were the case I wouldn't have even sat down). But it wasn't. To have just patronized their business only to be told to go wait outside to me is completely unacceptable given the circumstances.
I will likely never visit this place again. It's a shame, because the food is actually pretty good. There are other places that are more respectful of their customers that will be earning my business.
The most reasonable and great Filet Mignon Steak ever in the city.
$12.95!!! including rice and miso soup.
Ummmmmmm!
random thoughts:
When you are with a girl who you like to get in bed with, took her out for dinner and she ordering steak well done. You bang her the night and don't call her again.
When you are with a girl who you like to keep in touch with, went out for sushi, but she eats only cooked fish, you finish eat sushi and scram, leave her there. don't call her again.
When you are with a girl who you like to talk with at a Vietnamese sandwich place, she ordering a Viet sandwich WITHOUT cilantro, get the hell out there, and don't call her again.
When you are with a girl who you think she is really cute in a Chinese restaurant ordering Chinese Chicken Salad without cilantro, tell her that you forgot an appointment and get out. don't call her again.
Eating Chinese Chicken Salad without cilantro is like eating sashimi wihout wasabi.
OMG! That's horrible. That's not me! Of course not.
But, most people still think "LOVE" is everything but I'll tell you this.
Food is everything.
I think LOVE is Bulshit, sometimes.
In my opinion, when the food is good, your relation ship will be fine.
I know, to find a right person is hard thing but, the most important thing especially in a mix relation ship is FOOD! because every one has vagina or penes one way or another no matter what!
So, you got to take your date who you think your ideal to the most authentic place you ever think of. And find out that the person's reaction.
I took my GF here a year ago.
I have many "the most authentic place" that I'd love to take her out.
Tani's was one of them.
I didn't know that Tani's website!
http://taniskitchen.mi...
The most reasonable and great Filet Mignon Steak ever in the city.
$12.95!!!
Every time I said, "rare", I get medium rare.
But, it's always perfect.
I know it got to be a cheap meat but I don't care.
I love the place.
Let's make a fun of Japanese people, shall we?
http://www.youtube.com...
They SO FXXXin' retarded…
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Sushi was terrible.
Tonkatsu was overcooked.
Seating is super cramped.
But the prices were reasonable.
But yes, i would go again. Why? because i like the hole in the wall places.
Im still a fan of this place, but I wanted to update that I did not like the Tonkatsu that I ordered from here. It was just bland and the sauce was not good enough to make up for it. I still like the sushi though.
As Chef Ramsay would say: "Not Good Enough!"
I really liked this little joint off the side of the Westlake Center.
This spot is like one of those…
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If I could give this place 6 stars I would - LOVED it!! I've been to the Westlake shopping center a few times, but everytime we drove by, I noticed this place was always packed with at least a few people waiting outside. All I could see as we whizzed by was that it was a Japanese restaurant and that it was quite tiny and homey. Hmmm! = curiosity for the future, note to self!
Some months later, we were at Westlake again today to shop to our hearts' content, and then decided to have dinner at Tani's. If I had to wait to sit and eat for more than 20 minutes, I probably wouldn't be quite as happy, but luckily, we sat down right away at the counter. It's definitely a tiny place and yes, please turn off your cell phones upon entrance into this place otherwise you will promptly be told "no cell phones" (happened to a girl trying to grab her to-go order - shame!).
:) Yum! My bf and I both had a combo bento/dinner: he had the beef teriyaki and tempura, and I had the chicken teriyaki and mixed sashimi. Combo bentos come with a salad (tasty dressing!), edamame, simmered bean sprouts and rice (of course!). Best chicken teriyaki I've had in a long time!! - some of it was still on the bone, really tender and very tasty! My bf's tempura was mmm good and the batter was just right, not too thick (I always measure the authenticity of a Japanese restaurant on how *right on* they make their tempura, Tani's has it *right*!). And the sashimi was so fresh, it melted in my mouth. And the prices are more than reasonable for the amount of food you get. :)
We were a couple of happy clams enjoying our meal together on a Sunday evening! If we find ourselves at Westlake again, we will definitely be back at Tani's!! Can't wait!!
2 combo bentos+tip+tax = $22
Don't Get Sushi Here!
This is what I get for not actually reading Yelp reviews before I went and just glancing at the rating... the sushi is not very good at all.
HOWEVER, the other Japanese dishes are fantastic. Hubby's veggie tempura and beef donburi were delicious. The tempura was some of the best I've ever had... of course this may have to do with how fresh it was... the whole place is maybe 400 sqft so the time from oil to plate in front of me was minimal.
So riddle me this Batman.... why is it always busy?
Well because Robin the sushi is great the service might be awhile but order ahead. This is one of those either you have Yelped it, walked by it or just know someone who's been there sort of spots.
The Miso soup was good, the cali roll and the spicy tuna also great.
Howvere be prepared to either wait awhile if you are eating in or call ahead for to gos
I like the minimalist approach to this place. You sit down, shut up, and indulge in truly awesome Japanese cuisine.
Plus there's just something subtly hilarious about the unabashed window-staring from patrons outside waiting to be seated. Can't blame them, though. They can practically taste that superb karaage curry through the window.
After reading all the great reviews about this place, I knew I had to give this place a try. Besides being so close, the fact that this little Japanese restaurant was actually owned by a Japanese family made me eager to try it out. Perhaps I didn't order the right items, but I found the food to be mediocre. My boyfriend and I went this afternoon for lunch, and we ordered:
Katsu donburi
Donkatsu
Spicy tuna maki
I thought the Katsu donburi was pretty good, but I did notice that they used all dark meat for both Katsu dishes. The Donkatsu was a bit dry, and I think the only reason the Katsu donburi wasn't as dry is because it has a bit of a sauce cooked in it. The Spicy tuna maki was delicious and really had a kick to it! I may or may not come back, but if I do, I'll definitely skip on the Katsu dishes.
I've been here a few times and feel that I've given this place a good number of chances to earn a better score considering the number of people waiting here sometimes.
The first time we came here, they would not let the rest of my party sit down until I arrive. I was running late. That's ok if the place is busy but there was no one waiting and only two people inside. You go inside and there are signs that say you can't do this and that inside the restaurant. Not too many signs but enough to dampen your mood. It's was still early in the evening and they were out of almost everything. You ask the waitress what is good here and she deflects the question to the cook and he saids "I don't know what you like, how can I tell you what is good?" None of the workers seems to speak good english except the cook. The service is crappy, you need to ask for everything. Going to the bathroom, you can see that the kitchen is not clean. Perhaps this is the origins of their favor.
Well, besides the lack of cleanliness and crappy attitude of the people working here, I have to say the food is OK for the price. It is cheap and I think the draw to this joint is the well balance of favor to price, which may be the reason why there are more younger patrons who are willing to overlook the negatives.
Just reliving my experience here has now made me a little upset and I'm tempted downgrade my review to 1 star from two. You want to give this place the benefit of the doubt and to like the place since your stomach is full and there are many people waiting outside to get in from the cold but in the end the place leaves you simply unsatisfied.
If I could give Tani's Kitchen 10 stars, I would! This little Japanese hole in the wall is a rare find. There is only one person in the kitchen (the owner), one dish washer, and two servers at all times. Space is limited, but they make great use of the little that they have. (three two-top tables and a bar that seats six)
I have tried their:
Karage Chicken
Karage Chicken w Curry
Spicy Tuna Roll
Ahi Tuna
Chicken Terriyaki
Tempura
Udon
All of which are excellent! My favorite is the Chicken Terriyaki and Ahi Tuna Combo. The owner boils the chicken until it falls off the bone, makes his own yummy terriyaki sauce, and the ahi is always fresh and tasty.
If you go for lunch there is usually no wait, but dinner is another story. For me, the food and prices are worth the wait and you can always call to check if they are busy. If they are busy, placing an order for pick-up usually takes about 25 minutes.
Its the best Japanese restaurant in Daly City, but don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself. =)
ok so i came back again and again and again.
each time i ordered something different, chicken karage with rice was awesome, then i ordered the curry with chicken karage. that was the bomb also. i tried the Hamburger here too. Very juicy and they mixed some stuff into the meat which made it very flavorful. Also the TAMAGOs here are like the best i've ever had. and i am not getting enough of it yet !
5 stars !
Why??
BEcause the Food was great ! specially after a workout at the gym. You just can't…
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My bf would would be upset that I gave this place only 3 stars. But 3 stars is good in my book...it means decent food. I might give more if I had sat down in the small restaurant to eat and received excellent and friendly service, but I haven't had the chance to sit and eat here. My only experience is the take out that my bf got me one day as I was studying.
The food was decent. it was satisfying, but it wasn't "OMG this is so freaking good" type of food. I had the the CHICKEN KATSU DONBURI, which was a breaded and fried chicken cutlet w/ veggies and egg over rice. The chicken was ok, a little dry b/c of the breading and frying. but still decent. My veggies were just a medley salad consisting of lettuce, carrots, and cuccumbers. My bf had some kind of chicken curry plate. To me, it wasn't that special. Kinda just tasted like the curry cubes you can just throw into water to "make your own curry at home".
This place has decent food, but nothing to be wow'd about, for a cheap price. I wouldn't mind eatting at this place again. Maybe the next time eat here, I will change my mind about it and give more stars.
You know what they say. Sometimes the best food can be found at the hole in the wall places. Tani's Kitchen doesn't disappoint either. Keep in mind that this place is REALLY small. I'm stalking 2 tables where you can squeeze 5 on one and the rest is bar seating. So if you plan on eating inside here, anticipate that.
Usually after playing basketball in the sun for three hours, any food would be satisfying. But man, did Tani's really hit the spot. My friends have been telling me about this place for weeks and I never even knew where it was. They are very fairly priced and their portions are rather generous. I had them box up my leftover tonkatsu for me and when I ate it the next day, I was a little upset for not having more. Definitely gonna try to hit up this place more often.
I have been coming to Tani's Kitchen for years and they are still one of my favorite places to have Japanese food! The restaurant is about the size of a walk-in closet, but the food and the price definitely make up for their lack of space.
They get quite busy during dinner hours and there is usually a lot of people waiting outside for a seat. So, if you don't want to wait for a seat, I suggest calling in your order so you can just pick it up and go.
A few of my faves:
-Beef Teriyaki Donburi--cooked perfectly, sauce is tasty, meat is well seasoned, generous portion, SO GOOD
-Grilled Saba--this grilled mackerel with lemon is great! would be better if it were a filet because it has a lot of little bones
-chicken tonkatsu with curry--DELISH
-ALL THEIR SUSHI and SASHIMI is GREAT as well...
Just as great things come from small packages, GREAT FOOD COMES FROM SMALL RESTAURANTS!
I've tried going to Tani way too many times. I finally got to eat here after watching Inglourious Basterds @ Century 20.
The whole restaurant seats about 15 people. We waited for about 15 minutes for our table, and 15 more for our food. The portions are big, and definitely can fill more than one meal.
The beef in the tanin donburi is a bit too chewy, meaning it's old beef? Still, the dish was pretty flavorful, and the others seem to enjoy their food. Just not worth all the wait...
Great Japanese food and affordable price!
It only has 12 seats, but food and service is just excellent! I expecially love their Sushi's!
My boyfriend and I ordered the karage, chicken terriyaki, the crunchy roll and madison roll. The karage was burnt and tasted like chicken katsu for some reason with macaroni on the side.-_- The chicken terriyaki was overly done, it was soppy and had no taste to it, just the terriyaki sauce drenched on it. The madison roll was pretty good, but the crunchy roll wasn't even crunchy, let alone, there were random bits of harden fish inside of it. I couldn't even eat properly because I was squished into the wall. I couldn't even hold a conversation with my boyfriend because I was 2 feet away from the next customer. Its true there are only 3 tables inside with a bar seating, i think its hyped up or maybe we order the wrong things. Definitely not going back.
I love the environment and cook. I felt like I was in Japan again because it was in a small hole in a wall type of place and had a cook that was pure Japanese and cool.
The food was really tasty and super cheap for what it is. The workers were nice and they had a super cute cook/waiter girl. She seriously was eye candy.
The thing that really bought me over though was the cook because he reminded you of that Uncle that didn't care and was himself in front of others, even if it wasn't proper. He was super cool and I liked it a lot when he said thank you to everyone that left the place. He did it with a simple bow, eye contact, and a arigatou. It is something so little, but meant a lot and I want to return mostly for him....
and partially for the cute cook/waiter girl. =)
I finally had the chance to eat at Tani's Kitchen. I can try to sum up my visit in three words: Chicken Kaarage Donburi. That'll be my usual. It was so good and cheap, under $7. I also ordered their croquettes and they were very crispy and filling. Good Stuff. Nobu and all my other friends who have been here before were right when they said they can't get enough of this place. II'll be back soon to try their curry and everything else.
You want to know why people keep coming back over and over and cause that great long ass line out the door? It's because they serve crack.
Yeap, I don't know how they do it, but their sushi rolls have crack in it. If me or the SO go without any of their rolls for too long, we get these extreme cravings that no other sushi restaurants (not even Sushi House) can satisfy. No one would think that those dinky 6 pieces of fish and rice can taste like like... crack. Yea, no other word can substitute it.
Of course, the other meals here are good as well. Maybe some weed were sprinkled into the food as they were not as "OMG This is SOOO GOOD" intense as the crack-sushi rolls. Love the med rare teriyaki steak, tempura is awesome, hamburger meat is deliciously juicy and flavorful and the spicy mayo puts In N Out's special sauce to shame.
Call in and get take out to avoid the lines during dinner rush. The chef is very busy but very nice if you are nice to him as well. I like the no cell phone rule inside since it is such a small place, it would be very disrupting.
The only con about the place that bugs the heck out me everytime is the TV. It plays all these exotic and wonderful Japanese delicacies. And when you are hungry and cold outside waiting in line, the TV is TAUNTING you. Muahahaaha!
Disclaimer: I have never had crack or weed and therefore cannot guarantee that these comparisons are accurate.
If you were to look up "hole in the wall" in a dictionary, you'd surely find a photo Tani's Kitchen. Seating is highly limited (I think MAYBE twelve people can be seated at once, but I do not encourage you to visit this place with a party of more than three), and if you're lucky enough to grab a seat at the counter, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the lone chef himself, cranking out dish after dish, pretty much all on his very own.
A lot of variety on the menu for a place of its statue: combination boxes, potato croquette, Japanese hamburger steak, curry (over rice or over udon), ramen, yakisoba with egg omelet, sushi...I ordered the rice curry with chicken karaage. The curry, although a bit on the salty side, was delicious, peppered with vegetables and hunks of beef. The karaage was alright, but what was really impressive was that this meal would inevitably become three meals for me (lunch that day and breakfast and lunch the following day). Talk about bang for your buck (this cost about $10)!
I'm not sure why it's taken me years to find out about this place, but better late than never, right?
Also, here are a few tips:
1. You will not be seated until your entire party has arrived
2. $4 minimum charge/person
3. Open on Sundays, but not until 2pm
4. Tea is an additional charge of 25 cents/person
5. Those ordering takeout must wait for their order outside
6. No chatting on cell phones allowed!!!
Hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant hidden behind Nation's that probably can't fit more than 12 people in it. Don't come here with a big group because you won't be able to fit guaranteed. Don't be fooled though. Just because it's a small restaurant that isn't a chain restaurant like the rest of the ones in the plaza doesn't mean that it doesn't get any business. This place according to my friend usually has long lines. Luckily for us when we came, a table opened up pretty quickly and we didn't even have to wait. Throughout our dinner, I noticed more and more people coming in, and soon as you knew it, it was PACKED. Indeed, people were waiting for our own table.
They have a good selection of donburis (which are HUGE portions! I could only eat half of mine), cheap sushi ($4ish), sashimi, chirashi, curry, and noodles. My friend and I got the DC roll (marinated salmon and green onion), crunchy roll (yellowtail with tempura), and individually got the Chicken Katsu donburi and Tuna over rice. I'm always hesitant about getting chicken katsu because a lot of places skimp you on the meat... so you're left with a thin piece of meat that's overcooked...but this place gives you big katsu pieces! So the chicken was actually very tender and juicy. YUMMM. The Tuna had a good marinade to it which wasn't too salty or plain.
Prices were very decent. My chicken katsu donburi was $6.50, and the tuna over rice was $10.50. The rolls were about $4.25ish... Tho the sushi wasn't the BEST sushi made (in appearance and content), it wasn't bad for the price.
Service was good. The food came out really fast! So you can be in and out of there pretty quickly. Next time I come here, I want to try the curry udon... just never had that anywhere before. My friend who comes here very often suggests the japanese hamburger steak, the beef tenderloin over rice, and a few others I forget. Since there were some people waiting outside, the waitress asked us to leave, but it's ok, because my friend is her bf... so she's allowed to do that. haha.
If you're in the area looking for some good Japanese food, come here. Skip the Nations, skip the Chipotle and the Daphne's... you can get those anywhere!
I came, I saw, I conquered the curry, and now I'm in love.
Decided to come here after a friend recommended it. I checked out some of the reviews here on Yelp and was a little worried by some of the more negative reviews. Perhaps those were just unfortunate circumstances, because I enjoyed my meal there.
Tani's really is a hole in the wall. The place seats no more than 14 or 15 people. It's easy to miss this place, but it seems like word's already gotten around. The place was full when I got there, and there were people going in and out who had ordered food to go. It's probably best to go for dine- in when you have 1-3 people, but any more and it'll be hard. I know next time i go I'm doing take out.
I ordered the Curry with Karaage (Japanese style Fried Chicken). It tasted exactly like the curry in Japan! I can't stop thinking about it! I'll have to try the Ramen and Sushi the next time I go.
I had to try this place after hearing such great reviews from my friends. They swear it is the best curry ever and guaranteed that I would love it. They were wrong.
I ordered the chicken-katsu curry and was not impressed. The chicken was unusually dark and dry. The rice is rice....and the curry was nothing special. Overall not a bad meal, but I have definitely had better.
I'll probably give it one more try since my friends swear by this place and we did take it to go. Naturally it should be better when you eat it right away but I can't really see it being that much better. Maybe I just had higher expectations. We'll see....
YELPERS BEWARE: CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SORELY LACKING HERE.
We were forewarned about the inevitable wait - thank you previous yelpers for the heads up - the place is SERIOUSLY small (like seating for 12 people) but I was not quite prepared for the unreasonably rude service.
Here's what went down:
We were waiting for one person so of course a few tables and counter space bypassed us as other lucky patrons shimmied into the restaurant. Understood - they won't seat the party until everyone is there. Finally, when the next table freed up, it was a table for three and we decided to split up our four adult, one baby party.
Of course, we thought we'd be more efficient by putting our entire order in. Ho ho ho, we soon learned that the chef didn't like that. He asked the waitress to first ask us (waiting outside) what part of the order was ours so he could cook it after we sat down. Look, I had had plenty of time to evaluate how long it took the single chef to prepare the food and nothing was coming out quickly. I pointblank told her that it was okay if our food wasn't the freshest - I wanted to eat as soon as I sat down! So, then she went inside and talked to my sister, who was sitting down at a table, and tried to get her to disclose what part of the order was ours. SNEAKY BIZNATCH. It was clear what was going on - they had MORE RULES... they just weren't posted.
It was at that point that I decided that I had had enough of the stupid rules and it was time to bail. We waited the requisite hour. We split up our party. All we wanted at this point was food... and they were gonna deny us that? AW HELL NO!
Hey, maybe the food is good or decent but, a word to the wise, there are plenty of great Japanese restaurants in the area and I'd rather patronize places that actually value their customers. They can take their rules and shove it.
Came here based on the raving reviews.
The highlight was the singing going on by the father-son (i think?) combo in the kitchen.
Food wise, I was a little disappointed. Usually I base restaurants based on how good the food is in comparison to what I can cook. Especially with Japanese food because I cook a lot of it. Keeping that in mind, it was just ok. I think I would order katsu-don or something take out when I'm craving it since it's sort of a hassle to make.
It was good. I think just too hyped.
This by far was THE worst Japanese food I've ever had! Yes, worse than Kana sushi. I decided to try it, because of the line everytime I pass by and the raving reviews from Yelp. I'm sorry Yelp, but you disappointed me for the very first time :)
I have never had chicken teriyaki with bone - it's chicken drumstick! The teriyaki sauce tasted like a bland paste. The tempura batter was all wrinkly, soggy, and just didn't taste right. It's probably better if I buy one of those tempura ready made batter from grocery store and cook it myself. The portion was small too. For $8.95, I beg you to go to Barracuda instead. Oh, and I had to go to Barracuda to wash the Tani's kitchen off my mouth. I was seriously disturbed by it that I actually had nightmare that night, OH MY!!! AND get this, the people who work there are extremely rude! Cold shoulder, snobby, and think they are serving Nobu quality food. Rude signs everywhere Tani's tiny hole prison cell. Agh, what a waste of money! Oh well, now I know!
Tani's kitchen is a very unique Japanese restaurant. It's so small that no more than 15 people can fit inside. The dish are pretty good. but not so good that im addicted to it. I've tried their BBQ patty with the garlic spicy sauce that came with rice and macaroni salad n salad, the fried chicken with curry sauce (w/ rice), the Japanese chow mein with a big square shape omelet on top and the teriyaki beef. Out of all 4, i recommend getting the burger patty, and the teriyaki beef combo. the BBQ patty is very flavorful and not spicy at all, while the teriyaki beef is semi-cooked PERFECT! both are about $10 or less and it fills your growling tummy up!
like i said.. Tani is good, but not addictive. If you want something different and still want a piece of sushi here and there (which are good too).. come to Tani's!
I love Tani's Kitchen. The food is good and cheap. Although the chef can be a little "soup nazish", he does make some delicious cuisines.
My choices for one I go there are the following.
Spicy BBQ Chicken off of their specials menu- Nice kick and great taste.
Curry, Nice and simple curry dish. Soak your rice in it and enjoy.
Katsu Donburi- Cheap and delicious dish. The flavoring off the meat and egg really make the rice enjoyable to eat.
I would give Tani's kitchen 5 stars but it can be rather cramped inside. Furthermore, although its better to order takeout the food doesn't taste the same. I would recommend the sushi, however the home-style dishes are really good. I'll keep coming!
This tiny little restaurant fits about 12 people...maybe 13 max. I like it this way. That's one of the things that makes this place special. I've been here three times. 2 out of the 3 times I ordered the spicy bbq hamburger. It comes with macaroni salad, salad salad, and rice. The sauce on top of the hamburger is something very wonderful.
My friend says they have the best shrimp tempura. I'm not a big shrimp tempura fan, but I agree.... it's pretty good!
Yeah. No.
Awhile ago, after getting off a plane after a six hour flight, I wanted something quick and fast. I stopped by Tani's Kitchen, ordered about $25 worth of sushi rolls to-go. At the time, the place was packed and I'm claustrophobic, so I wasn't going to torture myself.
20 minutes later I came back. The lunch crowd was gone and most of the people had left. I spotted a table for two, and asked the waitress if I could change my order to-go and make it "for here." I saw the look on her face and I added, "Of course, I'll tip you. I'm just really hungry."
Surely, she understood.
But a bitch is still a bitch.
"No, No. Sollie. No. Cannot."
I looked outside. There wasn't anyone waiting. There was no line.
"Uh really?" I replied in a sarcastic voice. Then I smirked. About 8 of the patrons stopped eating their food and glared at me. I could probably take on about 6 of them, but not the other 2. Plus I didn't want them to end up in the hospital, so I paid her the amount of my food, and I took the food home.
The sushi rolls were falling apart. The rice was dry - you guys are Asian - how dare you disgrace our beautiful culture with crappy rice? I take the quality of my rice very, very seriously. The hamachi and sake nigiri I ordered did not look remotely fresh - so to avoid stomach suicide/food posioning, I didn't eat it. Good call on my part.
I love this place! why? cuz it's homemade food, just like your mom's!
in fact just writing this makes me MISS TANI'S!! too bad today's Wednesday, which means they're closed :( boo hoo hoo :(
only gripe is that their kitchen is super small, and after The Coming of Yelp everyone knows about this place, so expect a super long line. Or call and do take-out, and expect half an hour to 50 min before you can pick it up.
My faves include chicken karaage, katsu don (this rice bowl is REALLY good), and their salmon sashimi (quite yummy if I do say so myself).
Oh and the chef/owner sings when in a good mood. In japanese :)
Tani's kitchen is a tiny family-run Japanese restaurant with a lot of character. If you like finding hidden gems in unlikely places, this is definitely one of them!
They don't have a long menu, but what they do have is made with a lot of care to please. Don't rely on the printed menu - they have daily specials based on what fresh seafood or vegetables are available.
You will need some familiarity with japanese food (not just of the sushi variety) to truly appreciate this place. Depending on your entree, you will want to try it with either their tasty potato croquettes or their refreshing potato salad.
Eating here is like being invited into someone' Tokyo home, without having to remove your shoes. Very homey simple japanese food, and it doesn't get better than this.
Oh, and they fill up fast (it's a small place), so be patient.
A small, homey restaurant where there's only two table for two, one table for three, and a bar for seven, and two chefs, and one waitress. This restaurant just increased their entrees' prices on their menu but the food quality and portion are still the same and consistent. Their steak, beef, and burger are excellent. It taste very soft and all of their fry food (i.e. katsu, karage) are all fried to perfection. They sometimes over fry their tempura, and may be burnt.
Their service is fast, so after a long wait to be seated in this tiny restaurant, you will get your order less than 15 mins wait time.
Tip: come to this restaurant before 6 or 7pm
Tip: order To Go if you can
Tip: order the combo or the entree to get your money's worth (curry is served on a large plate)
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
Neighborhood: Excelsior
Daly City, CA
Category: Japanese
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Category: Japanese
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San Bruno, CA
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