I believe I used to visit their San Mateo location years ago for ramen. I've had saved this on my list to visit but this visit I didn't get ramen but got their soupless dishes. Upon reading reviews I wanted to try their chicken karaage, sand storm calamari with a Suntory beer. I would have to say for 2 people it is a lot, very fried and oily and filling so don't load up on it before you order your soup! I went with the dipping noodle tokusei tsukemen and my friend got the soupless mazesoba. The noodles were really thick and chewy and good. The pork was super good and fatty. Everything was prepared well and the quality was good. The wait was a little long for the soup between the appetizers. Service was quick, I made a reservation on Yelp which they prioritize and it can get busy with walk ins. Very clean and sleek inside, very tight and Japanese style. There's some street parking but can be hard to find parking if it's really busy. Overall if you're feeling for some Japanese in the Mission/Valencia area this is a pretty solid spot for all ages. I still had some leftovers to take with me.

I came on a Sunday at noon and remembered to join the waitlist ahead of time. I was seated immediately upon arrival and saw that it got busier but there were still tables by the time I left at 1pm. I had the miso ramen and would get it again. I think it's slightly more watery than other miso ramen I've had but I really liked it the way they do it here. It still has an intense dose of flavor and I personally liked that it was a little less intense miso flavor. Also had the chicken karaage and it just slaps!!!!! So good!

Went here for dinner on a Friday night at 6pm. Was able to add my name to the waitlist a head of time but note they will not seat your party until the whole party is present. Even though there was 3 ppl in our party and 2 were present, they still won't seat you. Within 15 mins, the restaurant filled up quickly and we eventually got seated at the bar. For our meals, we ordered the sand storm calamari and karaage for appetizers. Both were delicious. As for our entrees, we ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen, Spicy Miso Ramen and the Tokusei Tsukemen (dipping ramen). The noodles were nice and chewy but still had a good texture and the broth was flavorful. Next time, I think I will order just the Tonkotsu Ramen instead of the Spicy Miso. The only thing that made the experience ehh was the location to where we sat. Although we sat at the bar, we were right next to the host. Lots of foot traffic next to us because that's where everyone would check in and it would get crowded as people are waiting near us. Not to mention that is where to servers were taking all the to go orders. At one point, a server bumped into my friend (hence the crowded space). Other than that, overall the food was delicious and the service was fast. Tip: you can add your name to the Yelp waitlist if you're 5 miles within the restaurant.

Both ramens we ordered were excellent, the Tonkotsu Ramen & Tonkotsu Spicy Miso Ramen. Delicious and comforting, atmosphere was really inviting and warm, and service was accommodating. We came here at night and got seated right away, it wasn't busy or packed my first experience here. Absolutely would come here again, their ramen is amazing!! No complaints, just simply dine here!

I first tried their San Mateo location but was thrilled that there is now a location in the city. The menus were slightly different but the main dishes were mostly the same. I have tried their mazesoba before but this time I got the traditional tsukemen. The different types of pork, perfectly cooked egg, and chewy noodles made for a lovely combination. Don't sleep on soupless Japanese noodles, there is so much flavor and umami in this!

Got to try this ramen spot twice and loved both visits. Enjoyed their strawberry yuzu and tea drinks. For appetizers, I loved their fried calamaris. The tuna tartare tasted nice but was surprised by how chunky the pieces of tuna were chopped up. Not my preference when it comes to tuna tartare. I loved the dipping ramen! The buckwheat noodles were perfectly chewy and when dipped in the thick broth it was the perfect combo. The eggs were perfectly cooked and amazing pork. My friend enjoyed her spicy miso ramen as well. Service was efficient considering they're very busy. Nice cozy feel inside!

Great location right on Valencia street. The spot itself has very sleek modern decor and the service was fast though a little rushed as they are quite busy. The dipping noodles were delicious and such a fun experience. It's a must try- the broth was so delicious and you can taste how fresh the noodles are. I had leftovers and was able to take the noodles home in the broth and they added hot water to make it taste like a normal ramen dish. Would order the dipping noodles again!

Creamy and comforting ramen! I order the Spicy Ramen which was creamy and savory. The meat was so tender and melted in my mouth. The egg was cooked to perfection. This was the perfect dish for a cold day in SF. Service was fantastic and very friendly. It can get busy so be sure to make reservations a head of time otherwise there is a line, but it seems to go fast. Place is very clean and nicely lit. Very warm and cozy ambiance

I stumbled upon Taishoken while looking for a place that served Suntory Premium Malt in SF. Taishoken invented the Tsukemen style of ramen in Tokyo, and I'm glad they opened in the US. As a sucker for Tsukemen, I gotta try it out. The atmosphere was similar to most ramen spots, cozy and welcoming. Staffs were really friendly and helpful, adding to overall great experience. It did get packed easily, but they also offered reservation to plan ahead of time. We got ourselves Tsukemen and Fried Squid Legs. The noodles were chewy, but not too firm which I always preferred. I liked that the noodle was made of buckwheat instead of regular ramen noodles which gave the chewy, bouncy texture like soba or naengmyeon. There were pretty big chashu and smoked pork pieces. The dipping broth was quite thick, super smooth and flavorful. The sweetness balanced out with the savory really well. I asked for a piece of lime to go with the ramen, and it really helped with the heavy umami flavor. And you could never go wrong with fried squid legs. They cared a lot about their quality and consistency which was much appreciated. I think Tsukemen is such an interesting and fun way to enjoy ramen. Taishoken has been mastering it over the years, and it's hard to find a place that does it right. I really recommend Tsukemen here, but other ramen dishes look really good as well. Definitely will come back if I'm ever in town again!

I don't usually eat Pork and decided to make an exception here to try Taishoken's dipping ramen, and I was not disappointed. We live a few blocks away, so before leaving, we out our names on the Yelp waitlist which showed us about a 15-20 minute wait. On the walk over, I got a bit stressed as I saw in a few minutes, we went from 14th in line to 4th in line, so I made my friends speedwalk the rest of the way there. To my dismay, we were still 4th in line when we got there, and didn't get seated for another 15 minutes. That one was definitely on me though. The service was very good, every server was nice, and their drinks (sodas and shirley temple included!) were refillable which is always a plus. The true showstopper however was the dipping ramen. The dipping broth is one of the most flavorful broths I have ever had, with a depth and breadth of flavor that was the ultimate form of umami. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and paired perfectly with the broth. I understood why were were only to dip them instead of let them sit, because the texture was a perfect compliment tot he broth, and they would have gotten soggy otherwise. What I do recommend leaving in the broth for a bit is the pork, it's already incredibly tender, but leaving it in the broth for a bit gives it this extra intense flavor which is pretty incredible. I tried my friend's ramen as well and all though it was good, it really didn't compare to the dipping ramen. I try not to eat pork too often, but the next time I feel like doing so, I'm heading back to Taishoken.