Tanuki Izakaya & Ramen

Came here from a recommendation from a close friend and this place did not disappoint. We ordered the chicken karrage which came in HUGE pieces and the chicken heart skewers. We also ordered several of the ramen dishes and all were so flavorful! But most of all, the staff here are SO kind, friendly and personable with outstanding service, this really sets the restaurant apart from the rest.

We will definitely be coming back.

One of the best ramen places in Elk Grove. What stands out it me about the ramen is the quality of the soup. The soup is rich, flavorful, and almost creamy. The meat is always tender and has a slight charred taste that gives it an exquisite taste.
The service is always super fast and yhr waiters are very attentive.
The restaurant is decorated to remind you of a Japanese izakayi and has a casual vibe that's potentially fun to have a drink or two.

Our dinner was delicious! We got takeout.

Tonkotsu ramen was on point.

Chicken karaage was crispy and flavorful.

Brother in law enjoyed his chicken katsu don

The food was great again, as well as the service. This place made me homesick for the old country.
Great comfort food, and I will go there again soon.

Small cozy restaurant tucked away next to the Nugget market.
Service was fast and friendly.
The tan tan ramen had spicy broth as expected-though the broth was on the more oily thin side vs creamy.

I thought the ramen noodles were cooked well /al dente-however I thought the noodles could have a slightly larger portion as the portion was definitely on the smaller side. Left feeling more just content vs full.

Prices were average, however they do have a rewards program too.
I'd consider returning to try other items.
For a Sunday night the restaurant went from a few parties to being full by 630pm.

such a yummy spot! i had the curry pork katsu don -- a hearty meal that filled me right up. the unagi skewer was also great. friendly, attentive staff. clean environment.

PSA: Found my favorite spot in Sacramento County! Highly recommend this hidden gem for ramen and izakaya.

Parking: Ample - strip mall
Service: Amazing - super customer service
Ambience: Friendly, chill, family oriented yet wide variety of adult beverage offerings

Food: INCREDIBLE. It's rare and next to impossible to find a place that excels in ramen but then to also be great at yakitori... and appetizers... now that is multifaceted.

Here is what we ordered:
- Yakitori: Sunagimo - Gizzard was super crunchy and perfectly cooked
- Yakitori: Kawa - Chicken Skin - crispy
- Yakitori: Ebi - juicy prawn with head on
- Yakitori: Chicken Thigh - juicy with sauce and green onion
- Yakitori: Beef Tongue - perfectly cooked and crunchy
- Yakitori: Chicken Wing - skin was crispy, meat was juicy
- Deep Fried Oysters - juicy and crunchy
- Tonkotsu Ramen with torch seared pork belly and jammy egg - loved the al dente noodles and rich pork broth against the pickled veggies
- Curry Pork Katsu Don - this was a hearty dish and the ton katsu was lightly breaded with ample curry sauce

We dined here two days in a row and both days they ran out of caviar so we have to keep trying LOL

I would highly recommend Tanuki Izakaya and Ramen. This is my favorite spot in Sacramento County so we will definitely be regulars!

Came in around dinner time and was not too busy. It is a small, but rather inviting environment. Tanuki offers a variety of interesting ramen, donburis, and appetizers for a decent price.

I ordered the R3 which was the Karai Spicy Tonkotsu, which came out in like 3 minutes! Broth was porky and rich, and they actually gave me 3 slices of pork belly, which is a plus (seems like 3 is a common theme here).

Noodles are standard noodles, which weren't super bouncy, but they're good enough to act as the carrier for the rich broth.

Overall, this place will satisfy your ramen cravings with quick, amazing service. Give them a try!

Tanuki is a fun place to go to get your fill of Japanese food! They have a great selection to choose from and the staff had great recommendations for us to try. The service was speedy and prompt. They would take away our empty plates and refill our water often -- they were very attentive.

My boyfriend and I had the shrimp tempura, croquette, and wagyu skewer to start. They were all very delicious and fresh. The wagyu was especially juicy and amazing to try. Then, we had the black mayu ramen with thickened broth and the gyudon. Both came out steaming hot and fresh. Very delicious!

The seating area can get pretty congested sometimes especially if you're sitting closer to the storefront windows. I felt more comfortable in the booths with more space to wiggle around. There is not a lot of seating to choose from, so on busy days you may have to wait longer. I only knocked off a star because of the prices, which were on the pricier side. Other than that, great service and quality of food!

First time at this location! My family and I came midweek during lunch time and thankfully it was empty!

I ordered a TanTan (Spicy) Ramen and it was delicious! I wish the taste of the broth was more emphasized because all I tasted was spice which I am not complaining much but I am a broth girl. In addition, the Bok Choy tasted so good in the ramen! I am not sure what it is but it's a nice addition.

We also ordered the Veggie Bao and the Chicken Karrage for appetizers. The Veggie Bao was good and steamed. It took a while for it to be cooled down and same goes for the Chicken Karaage. The Chicken Karaage was a bit more dry than anticipated.

Although, I do want to complain about the customer service. I paid and they demanded for tip at our table. They said "Where's the tip?" As if we weren't going to leave cash on the table for gratitude. Keep in mind that it was a party of 4 and not 6 or more.

Other than that, this location is convenient. Nugget Market next door and other shops around.

I don't see myself coming back.