Review Tanpopo Ramen - Auckland Central

Our new favourite Ramen place, best ramen we’ve had !! 😌, super nice atmosphere and everything is super authentic, staff are lovely and the food is amazing

My family's first time to dine here. We enjoyed our dinner. Delicious food and friendly staff. Fast service too. We will definitely come back. Highly recommended 👍

Been here many times, and not a single time I have been dissapointed. This place is quite cozy and feels very warm and welcoming, and the ramen is also pretty nice, with a large selection. There is also obento and Curry to add for extent. Quite impressed by your flavours! and service was also pretty good as the waitress had a very good attitude. Paid $41 but still worth it. Recommended.

This ramen restaurant serves the best ramen in Auckland. Their noodle is self made, texture not too soft or too hard, just right. Yummy ramen soup with many different favor. Price is fair, with a range to choose. I recommend this Japanese restaurant and will definitely will visit again.

2018 our review was "Addictive ramen!!", 5 years onwards, they have always been our favorite ramen place. We regularly visit and often order their men-ichi Tokyo ramen, karaage chicken, takoyaki with a premium Sapporo or some cold/hot sake.

Taste quite good 👍🏻 Cozy and tidy. Will come again.

Very tasty Ramen and Kara-Age chicken. Service was friendly and were happy to make one of our dishes extra spicy. Will be back here for more.

I've been here a couple times, nice food and atmosphere with good portions. Popular spot with above average service. Nice place for a date or to enjoy a meal with friends and family!

I am a regular customer here and the ramen and customer service is always on point. Staff are friendly and greet you at the door from the counter, atmosphere is cozy and busy and the broth is oily, flavourful and filling. Would recommend the Mt Fuji ramen and the Tonkotsu Men-Ichi ramen for mild enjoyers. Would recommend the Jigoku or TanTan ramen for people who love spice. One thing, please do plan your parking in advance as the car park can get quite busy at times. Overall lovely bustling atmosphere, tasty ramen and bento and well mannered and fast service!

Such friendly staff and the food is amazing, I’m super particular about my Ramen but it always hits the pot here.

Stopped by for lunch and was surprised that their lunch special (Ramen and gyoza) was also available on weekends. Quite a large selection of soup bases and toppings you can add to the ramen. The ramen is really good, I particularly like the tonkatsu (pork broth) bases. You can also choose between thick or thin noodles. They also have dons for those who don't like noodles. Nice service and the wait isn't too long.

Absolutely amazing ramen! 🍜 Their home-made noodles are incredible and the broth is always rich and tasty. The staff are lovely, polite, and very friendly. There's a good amount of free parking which is nice, it can just be a bit of a mission to find it coming in off the main road. If you're looking for a local ramen spot, would most definitely recommend checking them out, so nice to find authentic ramen in Auckland!

Very good ramen. What else can you say. Maybe the best ramen in East. Not sure why it is hard to find parking for some people. I went there for dinner once in a while and never had that problem

We went there 3 weeks ago. Unfriendly & unhelpful customer service. The good is still delicious. Hope you could hire a friendly waitress. Very disappointed . Thank you

Yum yum yum and just yum! The service was good too!

This is an authentic Japanese ramen. My second time to come and definitely will comeback again. The price is reasonable too. Gochisosama deshita...arigatou gozaimashita�

Place has had a make over n sum new things on the menu but as always good service n yummy food at a great price

Excellent food, good range, fast and friendly service. It's my local.

Nice noodles

I haven't had ramen this good in New Zealand before. This is definitely Japan authentic quality Ramen. Looking forward to my next visit. ありがと

excellent

So good we should be going there tomorrow. :)

う、うますぎる☆

こだわりの煮卵がお勧めです☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

i very like it！

Loved it

Yummo

love ramen

Not to be rushed back to we both agreed! 2 miso pork ramen. Salty we thought. Only Chardonnay wine but Japanese beer was good.

Use my code SYSTEM for 20% off ZOMATO Gold!! <br/><br/>Great tasting ramen and I love the soup. Recommended!

Cheap and cheerful ramen. Friendly staff and lots of young people.

Delicious ramen and good portion :)

Come here pretty often since it's close by. Their signature Ramen are definitely worth trying along with the shoyu tonkotsu.

I had the Tokyo Ramen and wow best bowl of ramen ever!! Luckily it wasnt busy as we went at 5.30 so was only one other table there. I also added a egg which was perfectly done with extra pork and spring onions. The pork like everyone else on here says is definitely right its melt in your mouth delicious. Honestly you wont be disappointed.

Price valueble, food was good, friendly staff. Will definitely visit again! 😊

This place is pretty good, friendly staff, good meal presentation. Pleasant relaxing environment. The ramen has a very rich taste, but i found it a little bit too strong/salty. other than that, enjoyed the food.

The noodle soups here are super tasty but I always feel they are lacking in ingredients (other than noodles and a little bit of meat). Can add extras but then it gets way to pricey

I have tried the Tanpopo in downtown and near Glenfield shopping mall(only opened less than a year) and both are all very good.  However, this Tanpopo in Highland Park is quite a disappointment.  The miso ramen tasted so different from other two shops and not to mention small portion.  Do go and try those two places if you don't believe me.  PS Anyone who gave a good rating on this place must go and try the other Tanpopo shops.  I bet you will change your rating.

Mainly go there for Ramen. I feel the quality is going down from past few visits.<br/>Price has gone up and volume has definitely decreased <br/>Soup is not as rich or tasty like before. ( maybe less MSG)<br/>I am a Chinese and don't think I have seen good service or a smile from Japanese staffs there.<br/>(except for one young girl used to serve before)<br/>I understand that staff turn over is big there but not that service, <br/>That's really puts me off going there..

Have been a regular for years! Love their soup/broth and their noodles. However, sometimes their noodles can be a little on the undercooked side. I understand they need to be kind of chewy and bouncy but sometimes they taste straight up doughy. In general, I do think it's OK value for money but they do skimp out on their meat (very thin slices) so I advise you to order the bowls with more than one piece of meat. Not a fan of their karaage chicken or their bento boxes. I do, however, like their takoyaki and gyozas!

Definitely now on my go-to place for ramen! Flavours were just right, though the miso ramen was a bit salty (had a taste of my friend’s soup) however the normal cha shu tonkatsu ramen was flavourful. Server was also very nice as she greeted us with a smile and the ramen was also served extremely promptly!

Service 4/5<br/>Food 5/5<br/>Atmosphere 3/5<br/>Pricing 4/5<br/><br/>The food is so yummy and filling, I love this place. The service was good too, you just sit down and they will give you the menu. And I would say the pricing is good just because of how filling it is.<br/><br/>The only bad thing is the seats, either the table is too low or the chair is to high, which makes sitting alittle uncomfortable at first but you do get used to it. If the seating was better I would honestly give the rating 5/5.<br/>

Delicious! Great place for lunch with your mates during break and on the weekend. <br/><br/>We went during lunch time so it the service wasn’t the fastest, but not the end of the world. The broth was very satisfying and noodle texture was perfect. I got an extra boiled egg which is $1 and it marinated in a soy sauce base marinate and has a perfect soft yolk.<br/>Negative: the seats are quite uncomfortable because of the height so it’s slightly uncomfortable but bearable.<br/><br/>Taste: 4.5/5<br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Price: 4/5<br/>Atmosphere: 3.5/5<br/>

Been going here since they opened and they flavour and quality have been relatively consistent. Pork based soups nice and rich, pork slices are good quality. It's thin so melts in your mouth. Sometimes the soups can be on the salty side.

Came here with my dad today. In fact we waited half an hour for the restaurant to open because we were so excited to eat there. However we were only left with disappointment. <br/>I ordered the tonkotsu chashu pork base ramen noodle soup, have tried it before and it’s nothing extremely amazing but it is good. Wouldn’t say it’s the best and I’ve found that the ramen here varies every time dine. Dad ordered the karaage chicken bento box and man was that only the beginning of our disappointment! The chicken served to us was undercooked and pink. We knew it was undercooked because the meat was also difficult to separate, as well as being unusually pink. My dad is a specialist in the food industry and is a cook himself, and so he knows what he is talking about and he knows his expectations. We asked the guy about the chicken and he didn’t even take a second glance at it before dismissing it as ‘normal’. He quickly ran off and never came back. He never offered a solution. We called the girl over and she also said it was ‘normal’ but when dad asked her to explain why, she could only laugh. However she did offer to cook the chicken again as a solution. When the dish was served again, the chicken was soggy and lukewarm – it wasn’t even remotely close to being as hot as it was the first time. They simply microwaved it and gave it back, when my dad and the waiter clearly agreed to re-‘cook’ the food (this means to FRY the chicken.) Dad lost his appetite so we left shortly, he did reinstate to the guy that our problem had not been resolved (ideally they should have replaced the chicken, changed the meal or at least decently cook the chicken) but the guy ignored him and pretended not to be able to understand english. He kept saying ‘thank you’ and refused to apologise. Disappointing. Waste of time and money. Poor customer service and understanding.

Good service.<br/><br/>The tempura is delicious...but the Bento Box.....mmmm.<br/><br/>I just feel its lacking of a wow factor. Especially when I have tried so many different bento box from various japanese restaurants. .there is a certain kind of expectation. Then again, this is solely my personal opinion.<br/><br/>Overall its an okay experience.<br/><br/>

First time coming here.  Had a recommendation from one of my friend to try the tonkotsu shoyu ramen.  Also added extra noodles on top, but probably was not needed as the standard portion itself was plentiful of noodles.  The pork was nicely sliced and tender, the soup broth was nice and flavorful too.  We also got a side of takoyaki which was pretty good as well.  Overall I really enjoyed this place, it wasn't too expensive for the portion we get, I would definitely come again to try other options on the menu.<br/><br/>Taste - 4/5<br/>Ambiance - 4/5<br/>Service - 4/5<br/>Value - 3.5/5

Tucked away in the corner of Highland Park, tanpopo offers some tasty ramen choices. Got the Howick exclusive tonkatsu ramen with handmade noodles and tonkatsu negi ramen. I much prefer the negi ramen because I'm a fan of spring onion. I found even the noodles are better than the home made noodles because I enjoy the chewy texture. Full of flavours and great if you ask them to add some spice to it. Gyoza is just standard and nothing special.

Love this place, it’s a place which I have been coming to occasionally since 5 years ago and the taste has still remained the quality it had. I would always order T2 as the broth tastes absolutely amazing (not the one shown in the photo, was trying something new, definitely not as good as T2) highly recommend to get it. Another highly recommended dish would be its gyoza, it will definitely amaze you, would always get it along with the ramen. If you’re not a big fan of ramen, you could also try it’s chasu don, it’s very unique as you won’t find it easily anywhere else and it was my favorite thing to get couple years ago. It is definitely worth it as well, only for $9.<br/><br/>Tanpopo will definitely be 1 of the top 3 ramen places I’ve had in Auckland. This Tanpopo is also much better than the one in Britomart. It’s one of the favorite dining my friends and I love to visit from time to time when craving for some nice broth and ramen.<br/><br/>Cleanliness - 5<br/>Customer service - 5<br/>Price - 3<br/>Taste - 4<br/>Quantity - 4.5<br/>

Foods always good here especially during the cold seasons. Went here with my family and the food all came on time. I had the ramen with pork broth and miso it was ok but not as good as the ramens with the chicken broths. Next time will defs try that one.

If you need a quick ramen fill then this is your place! They do really good ramen with a light broth. Not too heavy compared to other ramen places but good enough to enjoy it. Their gyoza is good too. Normal gyoza.

Do not ever eat donburi and bento. Not recommendable (no karaage as well). But I love Ramen, especially Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen. I love the lunch gyoza coming with $2 when ordering any food :)

Wow what a nice little japanese place out in my neighbourhood. Really enjoyed dining here due to the great range of ramen dishes which most proably is one of the best ramens i've had. Broth was packed with flavour, pork melted in my mouth and the noodles had a great bite to it.<br/>Gyozas were delish, chicken was yumm and the fried rice was really yum too<br/>Also the little soju drink as pictured below was delissssh 😍 i recommend the peach flavour<br/>

One of the best ramen places in Auckland! So happy after my first sip of the broth as it was close to the ones I’ve had in Japan! Huge portions and really worth a visit because of its taste and price! Pork was tender and they are generous to put 5 slices. Other places just give you 2-3 slices! What a steal!

Cheap but portions are too small. Customer service and food was OK. Did not feel full after eating. If you are after something quick and a small meal then come here.

The shop is quite run down but the food is quite ok even though I don’t eat pork so my choice was quite limited. We had a chicken soup based ramen and fried chicken. The desert (green tea beans) was refreshing. Prices were reasonable.

Tokyo tonkotsu ramen is my all time favourite in this shop. The textures of their handmade ramen is better than the normal one. Traditional Japanese style decoration in the shop makes you feel like eating in Japan together with their Japanese staffs. Every time I come, there are many Japanese dine at here too.

It is similar in taste to ramen that I ate in Japan. <br/>Japanese noodles are salty. <br/>But there was a deep taste.<br/>First of all, the price is cheap and good for lunch

Went here for an early dinner. My hubby was craving for a ramen, we searched for the best ramen in town, and Tanpopo ramen highland park was the closest to our place. And it is listed as one of the best ramen places in auckland as well. We ordered pork based ramens, mine was the special creamy pork ramen and my hubby had the pork based with soy ramen. We also ordered karaage and gyoza. Overall the food was good, though the place needs decor update, not to mention the shop was quite hard to locate. <br/><br/>Food 3.5/5<br/>Service 3.5/5<br/>Food value 5/5<br/>Decor 3/5<br/>Location 3/5

Had a quick search on google for "best ramen in auckland" and this was one of the results. Although, the place is a bit hidden.<br/><br/>When I walked in, the lady who welcomed us was very friendly. The atmosphere felt like I was in Japan. The interior and the way it was laid out also reminded me of their country.<br/><br/>They have different categories which pork based, chicken based, miso based ramen, etc and you get 3-4 options in one category, although the toppings are the only difference. They also serve rice dishes, bento and side dishes. The prices are affordable around $15-$18 for the noodles.<br/><br/>I ordered the pork soup with soy ramen and it was good! The noodles were nice and soft, the soup has flavours –the type were you dont need to add more salt and pepper anymore, the noodles had ample amount, and the seaweed gives it an extra kick. I also ordered the karaage as a side dish and it was delicious. The chicken was tender although a bit oily. The noodles were sent out fast and hot.<br/><br/>Overall, it was a good experience. Good food, friendly servers, affordable meals, and quick service. I will definitely recommend this to peoole who likes ramen 👍🏻<br/>

Can and never will get over how good ramen at tanpopo howick is. I've tried all and all is good and because so it excites me thinking about what ramen I will have next time round. I don't know if they have done this before but they have a Halloween special going on ramen is great but free food is even better. Check it out.

Cute little restaurant that we only found because of a group karaoke night next door awhile back. Friendly staff and the place itself is small but has a nice ambience. I had the Tanpopo Ramen and the pork was melt in your mouth and everything in the bowl was delicious. My friend had chicken katsu and we shared some gyoza and octopus. Would like to go again and try some other ramen and the other food as everything looks yummy on the menu.

Amazing experience the staff are always so friendly and the ramen is top quality, love the boiled eggs, and all the other options you have for toppings. Perfect for a rainy day,you guys keep me coming back for more.<br/>

This would have to be one of the best places to have ramen. I've been to their other branches and this one branch is unique due to their exclusive menu for the Highland Park branch. The broth they have is sooo good and their staff are always welcoming and helpful. Would definitely recommend 👍

Have always wanted to try out Ramen and I don't think could have chosen a better place than this. Had basic cheese pork ramen and it just melted in my mouth. I can eat here every once a fortnight. Everyone who wants to try out this fantastic Japanese Cuisine, please go here and have Ramen. Highly Recommended. Cheers!

Very unfriendly and bad customer service compared to previous experience. Also the fact that they lack staff on a saturday during lunch time with only one server.

We went there 3 weeks ago Unfriendly & unhelpful customer service. The good is still delicious. Hope you could hire a friendly waitress. Very disappointed . Thank you

Probably one of the best ramen shops here in Auckland. We've been here for atleast 6 or 8 times and never been disappointed. I always order the Tanpopo ramen (special creamy pork base soup) and it is the best, the broth is so rich but not too heavy or oily and the noodles are fresh. Their dumplings and takoyaki are to die for. Service is quick and value for money is good.

I had no idea there was a tanpopo out east and it’s fast becoming our regular. The broths are amazing, so much depth. I love how you can make any of the ramens spicy at no extra cost. The noodles are good, but not amazing (ramen Takara’s are definitely better)<br/>The gyoza here were cooked better than the ones we’ve had at the city tanpopo - far crispier.

Food is nice, prices are reasonably as well. The service is a bit slow consider not that busy in the store during our visit. Especially the time that waiting on waiter taking order and paying the bill.

Truly a hidden gem, this place. Authentic Japanese ramen served by hospitable Japanese staff. The waitress even gave my son two pieces of Chupa Chups when he was beginning to get restless.<br/><br/>I loved their soup bases, despite them being on the salty side for most diners. Their handmade noodles are the best in Auckland that I have tasted thus far. :-)

Being Mother’s Day, the place was closed to being full when we arrived. We were offered seats at the bar counter which I would usually avoid due to my bad back but in this case the seats were padded and they were fairly comfortable. I ordered a mini ramen that had the miso soup base since I was not really hungry and my husband ordered the Tanpopo Ramen with special creamy pork base soup. The ramen was good though the soup base is a bit on the salty side for me. However, it is still acceptable and I do understand that these soup base is usually on the salty side. Some Japanese eateries do highlight to customers and would reduce the saltiness when required. Their base ramen always come with only one slice of pork which is a common practice Formosa Japanese ramen eateries here. I love the fact that they offer a mini size ramen where I can have additional ingredients added to it rather than having to add a bigger bowl with heaps of noodles. I would certainly come again on nights when I crave for some light ramen noodles.

Ramen here is excellent. Best ramen I have found in Auckland. The food come pretty quick after being ordered and there are so many options to customize your meal. The extras are also very tasty. Price is pretty good also for what you get.

First time eating ramen noodles and they were so amazing, full of flavour and just plain delicious. The staff were friendly and the food came out quick and hot. They're generous with the bamboo shoots, seaweed and spring onions as well which really added to the flavour of the soup. Pretty cheap as well. Definitely would come back<br/><br/>Food - 5/5<br/>Ambience - 4/5<br/>Service - 5/5

I often dine here with family and friends, and I must admit, Tanpopo Ramen never fails to impress. The service is always fast and friendly, and the ramen always tastes exceptional. Pricing is also affordable. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone craving top notch, authentic Japanese ramen. It's just too good.

Very disappointed with the service when I dined in on Saturday for lunch. While we waited for our food, we heard the chief making rude comments in Japanese out loud, that every customer in the restaurant could hear. We used to love this place but we will never dine here AGAIN.

Been here a few times with my boyfriend and we love it. They have vegetarian options so I usually get the shoyu ramen with kimchi and mozzarella cheese and my boyfriend usually gets a spicy seafood ramen that also has a lovely flavour. The ramen here is just as good as what I had when I was in Japan!!

Excellent friendly efficient service. Waitresses all have beautiful smiles. Food quality has however dropped over recent years. The karaage don ($14) just doesn’t taste the same, I had other cheaper don that is more filling and better value. They switched to think ramen noodles which I personally don’t like.

Just bumped into the restaurant on our way, fortunately, this place was not too bad, reasonable price ramen with great taste soup, and good dining environment. Would try one more if possible:)

Came in here the other night for dinner. The ramen was amazing, the soup had a great depth of flavour. I got a side of karaage which was ok (I’ve had better). But seriously, that ramen was so good! A great place if looking for somewhere reasonably priced for a quick meal.

Horrible! Restaurant closes at 10pm, we rocked up at 9pm and was told to leave as they couldnt be bothered to serve us.. will never eat at this place ever again! Bloody ridiculous

This restaurant does not deserve a rating below 4! Pictures uploaded were taken from different dates, which means their serving is consistently generous and well prepared. If you’re looking for a hearty ramen, go for their “Tanpopo Ramen” which you can customize by ordering some add ons (egg and bamboo shoots!😋) They also have rice dishes if you’re not into noodles. But if you still have the space, might as well order both (bento and ramen). Their staff are friendly too!👏🏻

Love this place, it is comfortable and welcoming, good service and food. I would personally recommend the shoyu ramen and takoyaki (which translates to octopus balls) if you love seafood you would love takoyaki! To compliment my dish I never go without a cold beverage of Kiran beer, so delisious! For you non beer drinkers I would recommend the 3% peach beverage, my girl loves it. If you are wanting to try something new try mixing peach drink with Kiran beer it's surprisingly tasty! Half, half. Enjoy your visit, I'm never disappointed.

No texture to the ramen noodles. Salty soup base. Staff are inconsiderate about food allergies, only seem to care about extra charges for swapping out sides. Quite disappointed.

Authentic ramen. The broth is thick and excellent. Price is reasonable and affordable. Definitely one of the best place in town. Location have ample carpark lot.

Tanpopo Ramen has been our favorite ramen restaurant in AKL since we were university students. Love their flavorsome pork bone broth which also matches perfectly with miso,  Tanpopo (with sesame paste), and Shoyu flavours. One thing they could definitely improve is their Chashu (BBQ pork), which is always fatty, too thinly sliced and bland. It lacks the flavor and aroma that Japanese BBQ pork is supposed to have. And I wonder why they stick to this not-so-successful "formula" since day one (when Tanpopo Ramen was opened on Anzac Ave), and have never thought about improving it.

I don't like. I've tried multiple times to try different ramen here and at different branches of tanpopo as well. The broth for tonkotsu ramen always has pieces of pork fat floating on the surface, and not the smooth clear broth you'd expect. It's alright.

Convenient location and good customer service. Tanpopo Highland Park is one of our go-to place whenever we are craving for Japanese ramen. Their food is good but I wouldn't say the best. Overall, food and service is worth the money.

Had lunch there because we didn't want to pay for expensive parking in the city.<br/>Good ramen, bowl and portion seems a bit smaller than the Anzac Ave branch, but the soup was thicker, so it will definitely fill you up.<br/>Personally I still like the Anzac Ave one better. Tanpopo has the best ramen in Auckland in my opinion!

Stopped for dinner tonight. Had pork soup reman which was really nice ( it's awesome for such this cold weather). Staff were very friendly and efficiently. Definitely will come back again.

Good. <br/>I think I got t2.<br/>It was good. The waitress was kind and yeah pretty nice atmosphere. Way better than the one in city.<br/>:)<br/><br/>I like it and would probably come again

Tanpopo is the place to be when you're craving for authentic Japanese ramen. Soooo good! The serving is huge and could be enough for two if you're not too hungry. Reasonably priced food. Cosy little place.

Stopped by for lunch and was surprised that their lunch special (Ramen and gyoza) was also available on weekends.<br/><br/>Quite a large selection of soup bases and toppings you can add to the ramen. The ramen is really good, I particularly like the tonkatsu (pork broth) bases. You can also choose between thick or thin noodles.<br/><br/>They also have dons for those who don't like noodles.<br/><br/>Nice service and the wait isn't too long.

Love this place, always good, great service and amazing tasting broth. I love spicy so I always ask for extra spicy which they provide and that increases the taste level for me. Very satisfied

Dragged my entourage in here. so yearning for Ramen on a cold winter week night. I've eaten here before a while back and surprised not to be greeted by a boisterous Japanese welcome as in the past. Maybe it's change hands but didn't get a chance to quiz the staff. the place was semi packed with a few intimate couples. Ordered the pork tanpopo cheese ramen, wifey ordered the miso based pork ramen and child slave ordered the pork katsu rice. Service was efficient and prompt, shades of "JIT/Kamban." The noodle ramen were piping hot with good servings. Good portions of pork slices balanced with veggies, seaweed and cheese. Disappointed that the noodles were store bought dried noodles as opposed to hand made that didn't have time soak all that pork base thru. Don't get me wrong the ramen noodles were real good, wifey argued her miso one was better but I yielded so I could eat in peace. Slave child refused to share here pork rice until I reminded her who pays her phone credits. It was good and would've been better with the side orders on offer. Kimchi and Korean yellow pickle would've been my picks.Bill came to $45.00 which I thought was not bad. I will be back to fraternize with the staff so I can get the inside on what their true signature dishes. Acknowledging the chef with good friendly banter usually gets me a meal a cut above his usual serving?

Awesome Miso Tanpopo Ramen, love the taste of the Miso soup base with creamy sesame taste, a bit sweet and not salty at all! If you like the hint of spicy flavour, there is a block of chilli paste on top you can add on.<br/>highly recommended!👍<br/><br/>Gyoza is yummy too, it is so crispy and nice filling inside. It is a good idea to have it as your side dish.<br/><br/>Green tea shaved Ice with red beans is such a good dessert after eating this spicy ramen.<br/><br/>If you love the Japanese style ramen, you must try it!

In terms of good street ramen, this is the best place in town. Real authentic flavours for a reasonable price in a decent environment. Tanpopo is my go-to ramen restaurant.

This place is soooooo bad it's not funny. Ordered our Ramens ask field spicy and didn't get it, asked first Kim chi and didn't get it. And when I said hey there is no topping they just laughed ha ha ha yeah real funny.<br/>Maybe if they stop laughing and talking rubbish and concentrate on what there job is they may have cleaned the dead sand fly from the vinegar! !!! I know it's only a sandfly but come on man WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!

Great noodle house in Pakuranga, service is great and quick, generous portions and completely tasty, it transported me back to Tokyo, definitely will come back when feeling having some ramen

I first visited Tanpopo when it opened a couple of years ago (before I started writing for Zomato).  Food then wasn't good; ramen with 2 slices of meat for about the same price as now & soup - the essence of ramen - was thin in taste. Today I experienced a significantly improvement. Miso Tonkotsu BBQ pork ramen was rich in taste (despite obvious MSG); chicken katsu bento set meal was good; additional pork dumplings for $2 were also juicy; green tea & red beans kaki-gori (shaved ice) was average. (We were offered extra free samples of dumplings for trial.)  <br/>(Food - 4/5; Service - 3.5/5; Ambience - 3/5)

Was so happy to find tanpopo in highland park! It's been quite a cold and wet summer last week, i was craving for something warm and soupy. Tanpopo on anzac ave is one of my favourite places to go, so i was keen to try the highland park. <br/><br/>The menu in the highland park branch has more variety than the ones on anzac ave. they have bento boxes, and curries on rice... i was tempted to try the bento or the curry.. but I decided to stick to my usual tanpopo chashu ramen lunch specials that comes with some dumplings.<br/><br/>The food was not bad, i do prefer the anzac ave's food better. I think the broth in the highland park brach was oilier and the dumplings are smaller. They were still good, I enjoyed my ramen and dumplings that day. <br/>Im keen to try the bento and the curries.<br/>

Their costumer service was excellent, and the noodles were rather good, yet it was just a bit over spiced. <br/>I personally recommend their Howick Special Menu noodles and their pan fried dumplings.

While Tanpopo is certainly nothing fancy, the food is definitely satisfactory for the price. The gyoza is decent, and while the ramen is not bad, the broth (the shoyu base, in particular) is much too salty for me to ever finish, although it flavours the noodles well - some have even told me that Tanpopo has some of the most "authentic" tasting ramen in the area (although, having not have lived in Japan myself, I do not know how true this is). Nonetheless, I have returned here several times for casual dinner with family and friends, who have had little to complain about. In my experience, the staff have always been warm, friendly, and helpful.

Another fav of mine staff are so lovely prices are good always walk out of here very happy and full so many ramen to choose from and there chicken bites Oh soooooo good there menu is always improving I think this place is great

We went there last weekend. Yummy ramen ! Can't complain much ! Not salty like other places! The size was reasonable! Our new favorite place to go :p

Ramen was good but I wish they add more meat into it. The staffs are nice and keep on checking if you need something else and how's the food and so on. Highly recommended 👍🏼

Good overall, price has increased since a few years ago, side dishes are now overpriced.<br/>Any ramen with pork soup is very good here, a must have. Would recommend Tanpopo Ramen!<br/><br/>Portions are good so I never leave here with a stomach that is not full, also provide the handy options of upsizing or extra noodles which is good. They have dumpling lunch specials which is nice to go with your main course.<br/><br/>Good variety of ramen and side dishes, not sure why they got rid of the popular seafood ramen though.<br/><br/>There are a few waiters/waitresses who are friendly and speak fluent English (including a very handsome young man), but some of the others don't speak English very well and can sometimes come off as quite cold to non-Japanese guests.<br/><br/>They got rid of the stamp card even though it was very popular.<br/><br/>Overall it's a good place to eat with a nice atmosphere (when the bar next door isn't playing bass-heavy music).

Nice cosy spot on a cold night! Cheap but very big serving and tasty ramen, karaage don was very nice. Not too fussed with their japanese pancake, a bit too salty.

Nothing too special,very average ramen joint with a pleasent vibe <br/>price on most of the sides are too high due to small proportion and lack of individuality<br/>Service and speed are Japanese standards <br/><br/>In terms of ramen, the noodles are not chewy<br/>The roasted pork has a strong taste which can be offputting<br/>The soup is debatable, very unusual but I enjoy it on a colder season<br/>I usually order the miso tonkatsu with extra noodles<br/>

Love this place! Try to go here as often as I can. When I ask for extra chillie next level they actually listen! Pricing is pretty reasonable as well. Their customer service is pretty friendly as well! Environment isn't to loud as well so you can pretty much have a good conversation with whoever you go with.

Really enjoyed this place for some heart warming filling ramen! The noodles here was probably my favourite part. They were really delicious and had a great texture to it. I even ordered another set of plain noodles on its own! (I had a lot of leftover broth) <br/><br/>My broth was also good (the creamier one), really tasty but a tad over salty. I would definitely get the other one next time I visit here. The kaarage chicken was probably the biggest disappointment. It was so small for the price, tasteless and hard. Definitely a hard pass on this next time. I didn't deduct too much points for this as this is a ramen house and I would definitely come back for the ramen!

A great disappointment as after 36 years in Japan and wanting to introduce some Kiwi women to Japanese street food in the company of my Japanese wife, we ended up being  bitterly disappointed by both the food and service, leaving me feeling angrily ripped off and over $100 poorer.<br/><br/>To begin with, for some reason the master was surly and unwelcoming. However, we ordered a range of ramen dishes and some side dishes such as gyoza. While the food volume was standard and adequate for Kiwi appetites, the flavour was very lacking as my wife and I felt not enough effort had been put into the all important broth. Never again.

Ordered S2 the Tanpopo creamy pork broth for dinner. Very tasty and salty but was rather thirsty for the rest of the night. Nice texture ramen. I'm not a fan of fatty pork slices. <br/><br/>This was a better visit, as last year I was charged the standard price plus extras for a vegetarian soup with mung beans, bamboo shoots and noodles (requested some exclusions due to a special diet at the time). <br/><br/>I would return to try other items on the menu.

The most authentic ramen place in Auckland in my opinion. The broth is delicious and hearty, huge serving sizes, and reasonably priced. The only criticism is that the ramen noodles they use could have been better. <br/><br/>Also recommend their green tea shaved ice for desserts.

Lunched here since I was really craving some ramen.<br/><br/> We ordered gyoza (Japanese dumplings) and a dish of karaage (deep fried chicken) as sides. Also ordered a bowl of miso tonkontsu ramen and a chashu tonkontsu shio ramen. <br/> I always love gyoza! The karaage needed more lemon juice but that's due to my personal preference but it still good!<br/><br/> The food was filling and satisfied my ramen cravings. Plenty of toppings as well as noodles and soup! What more could you ask for? Hehe<br/> Staff are friendly and attentive, the cashier girl was so lovely great customer service!<br/><br/> I great spot to hit up if you're craving some good ole ramen! Will be back for more especially since we're hitting the colder season!

Was quite busy (maybe half full), I agree with comments about service from previous reviewers, they seem friendly but it's lacking somewhat in urgency and professionalism. Ambience feels genuine though reminds me of all small cramped eateries when exploring side streets of Tokyo. Food was average at best, we got chicken katsu bento box (mmm soggy chuken) and pork ramen (can't remember soup base); but i wouldn't rave about either. Sides were kind of expensive in general, only one worth it was octopus balls, I would probably rate those as above average to excellent. I'd estimate avg price $40 for two (excluding drinks). There's much better choice in general area though for this type of food, I would probably pass unless I happened to be at gym next door or at save way and just couldn't be bothered driving like five or ten minutes to some of alternatives.

Great energetic service, delicious food! The food came out quickly and the atmosphere was great. Try the shoyu tanpopo ramen, the best item imo

Unhappy and terrible with the service. We came early and ordered way earlier than other tables. What we had was only one reman and one bento box, however we waited more than half hour and two tables next to us came after we ordered was already been served. After we talked to staff, there was NO apology at all. One of the worst service Japanese restaurant that we have been to, staff today was very unprepared for everything.

Ordered food to takeaway for dinner. We ordered the following bento boxes: Fried Prawn Bento, Karaage Bento and Chicken Katsu Bento. I felt the portion size wasn’t filling and a bit pricey for that size at $13. Overall the food was enjoyable to eat and was tasty.

My husband and I love coming to Tanpopo. We are guaranteed a yummy meal. Since our last visit they have updated their menu selection as well as a nice new menu. Which was great to see. Service was quick and as always nice and friendly.

Good starters and good food, would recommend for authentic Japanese food. Service was fast and delicious food, what more could you want. A casual dining spot hidden in the back area.

Loved the gyoza & the kimichi ramen. This was my first introduction to Japanese cuisine & thanks to Tanpopo, I wasn't disappointed. Highly recommended.

I was viciously craving some authentic Japanese ramen and found this place via Zomato. It was a little hard to find this little shop hidden away in the corner but nothing of great difficulty. <br/><br/>It's a very cute little diner and the tables had these little information cards describing special events in Japan each month which I thought was a nice little touch. <br/><br/>The portion sizes are very decent for the prices. I was a little disappointed that toppings cost additional but even then it is still affordable. <br/>I was very satisfied with my ramen and it definitely satisfied my craving, will definitely be back!

Ramen is good but do not get anything else.<br/>I ordered chicken teriyaki on rice and it was the smallest portion I ever saw and had no taste, could see it being reheated in the microwave. <br/>The karaage chicken is a scam.<br/>$10 for 3 pieces of chicken that are half the size of chicken nuggets. Trust me on this one and avoid everything except the ramen :)

A not so easy to find destination trying to look for it amidst the many shops on highland park (it's across jetts to be exact). Hubby and I ordered two bowls of ramen. Loved the broth and the pork bbq was to die for although I needed more of it. Next time will make sure to pay an extra $3 to get additional pork bbq toppings. Service was good and fast. Definitely worth a try.John Niño Sia

Standard Ramen place. Affordable, always a plus 😆 it's one of those places u go to when ur a regular~ Decent portions for the prices too 😀

just really great ramen friendly staff clean restaurant and a great vibe even though it almost seemed like fast food as they were just bring food out so fast

Food is yummy, food is cheap. What else is there to say? Have the plum wine. It's always great. Service is also speedy, so it's a great place to come if you want q yuck, fulfilling meal.

My favorite place to have ramen.<br/>I travel here from Takapuna everytime I get my cravings.<br/>Decently priced and fast service.<br/>It's not about hospitality at this place but the food makes up for it.

Really good ramens ! i've been here 3 times now and never disapointed !<br/>Big portion of ramen, sides could be bigger tho.<br/><br/>Service really nice and so fast !!<br/>I recommend this restaurant and will going back there soon!

best ramen ive had so far here in Auckland. The noodles are good! the pork stock they use for tonkotsu ramen is godlike. people tend to winghe about the $17 ramen well you can actually get the cheaper version of that ramen just with less meat, but everything else is the same portion. and like every other Japanese ramen meat (usually pork or carshu) really isn't the highlight of the dish. If you are after a meaty full bowl of noodles, stray away from Japanese ramen.

A great place and restaurant if you like Japanese ramen. They have many different flavour. Been to this place with family and friends many times and Miso tonkasu is my favourite. Highly recommended!!!

Tried this place for the first time last Saturday night. My partner and I ordered a bowl of Ramen, kimchi and some edamame. The food was enjoyable and we did not have to wait very long. Would have liked some more pork in the ramen, but we figured this was probably just the style of meal as we hadn't tried it before. Staff is friendly and attentive. Restaurant has a relaxed feel if you're wanting somewhere casual to go. <br/><br/>:)

Best Yakisoba in Auckland!!!!<br/>My recommend Ramen is Miso Tonkotsu with thick noodle. :)<br/>Also Pan fried Goza is amazing.:)<br/>Delicious delicious delicious

Tanpopo is a authentic-ly glorious ramen bar hidden in Highland Park. I absolutely love having a hot bowl ramen during winter. I usually have the tonkotsu shoyu chasu ramen ($14) with the addition of corn ($1) and dried seaweed ($1) Its a decent portion and there hasn’t been a time I’ve left hungry! <br/><br/>Service is good - Friendly and food is serviced speedily <br/><br/>I will definitely continue to come back here :-)

Had the tanpopo ramen. Great flavor and authentic. It's a bit pricey for ramen at $17 but it's worth and value for money. Ramen is smooth and the chashiu is soft and tender. The soup is also come with great flavor. My favorite ramen place in Auckland.

If you want a Japanese ramen soup this is a good place. Like other dishes too... fried rice, chicken, bbq pork & crispy salad. <br/>Service is fast we didn't wait for much time. Place condition is average, similar to fastfood ambiance. Utensils are well looked after, free water-plastic container provided is well drained. Food price is average. The place is near to our place, we'll come back on cold days or when my family feels like eating ramen.

Came here on a col night craving some good quality ramen soup! My partner and I ordered different ramen soup dishes and it was acceptable. The broth had ok flavour but there was definitely room for more! Prices was average. One big dissapointment was the ramen itself, it wasnt a good wheat noodle like it should be, they seem to use thin egg noodle.

Saturday lunch. Decent little place. Had chicken soup flavour Ramen and fried noodles. Good flavor but the fried noodle lacked meat. There was a pinch of pork mince. Very disappointed. The ramen was nice. Excellent flavour. A few slices of pork. Again lack of meat is my biggest complain. But flavour and service was nice. The biggest disappointment were the gioza dumplings. Burnt at the bottom and lacking in flavours. Didn't enjoy it at all. Felt like supermarket frozen dumplings.

Rolled in on a freezing Thursday night, on the back of reading some great reviews about this place and boy was I not disappointed.<br/><br/>Staff were on point, attentive and welcoming. The atmosphere was really chill and is great for people dining alone. <br/><br/>Amazing broth, chewy noodles and some terrific char siu pork.<br/><br/>I do would suggests that they were a bit more generous with the pork. <br/><br/>Showstopper: The pork was delicious, really juicy and flavoursome.<br/><br/>Overall grade B+

So fucking good. Love this place

Best ramen I've ever had, great broth, nice quiet atmosphere, friendly staff and VERY QUICK SERVICE. Good came out not long after we ordered (this was on a week night). Very authentic.

I absolutely love this place! It was traditional Japanese ramen. Every bite was delicious. The broth wasn't just msg soup, i could tell it was made from real ingredients! My partner and i both got pork ramen but my partner got pork and salt soup based extra spicy and i got the pork and miso soup based. The price was reasonably were both under $15 each. We loved it and finish every single bit of it. The meat was tender and full of flavour ! Would definitely come back!

We love this place especially my 2.5yo, love the noodle and their special soup bases, friendly staffs, speed service & cute kiddie bowl and cutlery! Good price for a such great bowl of noodle, but not many choices for side dishes. Tables are not big, can fit 2-6ppl, not bigger group!

I love this place, I've been here countless of times. My favorite is cheese ramen as weird as it sounds, but also their curry and okonomiyaki. It is perfect if you want to have a warm dinner with friends. Check it out if you want some delicious ramen.

Best ramen you'll get in East Auckland! I've tried most of their ramen (shoyu,tonkatsu etc) and they're all amazing! Perfect place to go especially in this cold weather :) everyone that I've brought here since I found this place have loved it, you won't regret going here!

Spotted the sign when shopping for groceries in the SaveWay nearby, and it turned out to be a fantastic find. Great broths, with decent prices and huge portions. The staff is friendly and cheerful, and the food comes out quick. On one occasion I went just as the restaurant opened and there was a delay in food service - they apologised profusely and gave us extra pieces of char siu pork with each bowl of ramen. Unprecedented, but it only added to the excellent service!!<br/><br/>I take advantage of the $8 lunch specials for "half-sized" ramens for any of the $11 flavours, as well as adding 3 gyoza for $1 to any purchase at certain hours at lunch. My personal favourite is the miso tonkotsu broth, but the others are also very good. The new flavours are great, slightly creamy, indulgent and nutty, if you're willing to splurge, but I usually stick with the half-sized bowls, which are filling enough for me. The Yuzu special was also a great option for something different.<br/><br/>I would definitely recommend for good, authentic Japanese ramen, run by Japanese people.

This is definitely my go to place for ramen. On a chilly night like tonight, a hot bowl of ramen hits the spot. <br/>My favourite of all time is the shoyu ramen which is chicken and soy sauce base soup with extra bamboo shoots. Their okonimiyaki is also awesome- not too many cabbage/ toppings and just the right amount of flavour. <br/>With winter coming up, this is definitely the place to go to warm yourselves up. I'd totally recommend this place if you're looking for some hot flavoursome ramen :)<br/><br/>

Disappointing. Didn't taste like tonkotsu. Very weak flavor. The broth was essentially tasteless. The only redeeming parts were the noodles and the chashu. The miso, shio and shoyu types might be good, but the tonkotsu is not worth the money.<br/><br/>

Definitely no ippudo (international) or bone daddies (London). Good reminder of why I never liked Ramen when I lived in Auckland. Tried the shio tonkatsu and there was no articulation in any element.. I even question whether the noodles are handmade.<br/>Vegan friend lacked options, couldn't even eat the noodles as they had egg in them. They kindly compiled her a bowl of sliced leeks in miso soup and more kindly 'only' charged her $24 for it.<br/>Food was edible but not worth the splashes on your frock<br/>Ambience consisted of hearing next doors hip hop bass but in fairness it is no frills and casual. The seats are definitely made for the smaller frame, luckily we are small people.<br/><br/>Staff is friendly but service rather slow.

My opinion of Tanpopo Ramen in Highland Park, would not deviate significantly from the other review found under. For a relatively great price, you will receive great food and great service.<br/><br/>Definitely recommended.

Not many options for serious ramen lovers in East Auckland but now we have one of the best ramen places in the CBD here in our own backyard. Many options, fast service when they're not super busy, and great ramen noodles if that's what you're after. Nice that you can still place orders at 9:30pm. The place next door gets a little loud sometimes though.

I love this place. Great service. Free water and such. The price is okay but I value good Ramen. Not many nice Japanese places in East Auckland (run by Japanese people). I love this place. I wish they had more deals but their Ramen portions are huge sometimes I need to share.

Friendly staff, excellent food at good prices. The different choices of ramen is unbelievable and they are all authentic Japanese (unlike other places where Korean or Chinese owners try and copy the dishes but fail). Also it is the only ramen place in East Auckland from what I know. It is worth the trip and you don't leave disappointed!

Best Japanese experience I've had by far out east. <br/>Service and environment is great, nice menu with alot of variety, bit of everything. Sushi is A+++++ and very well priced (they had a discount on Labour day?!?!). <br/>Would recommend to anyone.

We love our noodle soups. Ramen is warming and full of flavour.<br/>We were regulars at Tanpopos on Beach road in the city, now we have moved out to the suburbs we were happy to be near a Tanpopos to make our local.<br/>My favourite is the Tonkotshu Shoyu with all the toppings. You can choose from various soup bases pork and soy, pork and salt and pork and miso<br/>Think the soup is brewed all day<br/>Although Tanpopos is known for their ramen they serve other dishes<br/>We tried bean sprouts and pork and a Japanese curry sauce on rice Tasty as too ( surprised there was no meat though)<br/>Check it out sometime<br/>We will be coming back for the ramen