Tonkotsu ramen was great, rich salty broth and springy and textured ramen noodles. All toppings were great. The sweet and sour pork was quite average, the pork was extremely dry and chewy yet also soggy, the sauce was also overwhelming sour. Chicken karaage is fantastic and would definitely recommend.
Good was good. Didn't have to wait too long. Good atmosphere without loud background music. Good amount of heating in their courtyard area on a rainy night. AND the staff who had a nice chitchat with my table about Gilmore Girls, you know who you are, thanks for the chat!
Beautiful place, with such beautiful meal to enjoy, plus after a very good feed, the beach is just outside the door
This is place awesome. I have tried most of their ramen and it didnt disappoint me! My personal favorite here is the chicken karaage, oh man its delicious! Make sure you reserve seats because its always full in this restaurant! They have a wide variety to choose from and I will definetly come back here!
Food 10/10
Service 10/10
Ambience 9/10 because the place is always get full, its a bit crowded but nevertheless still a place to try and have some authentic japanese food!
The service there is superb. The staff are all really friendly and the food is well presented and tastes amazing. I always recommend this place to others.
We live far away from here, but we’ve been happy to make trips to Ramen Takara in Browns Bay for the past 5 years. Always good food and friendly service. The only downside is that it does get super busy so we often have to wait for ages outside, and get a short allocated eating time which does put a pressure to inhale food and get out ASAP. Last time we had to wait for 45 min and once we sat down we got told we only have 40 min to eat. Other than that, the food and the service never disappoints.
Been there a lot. Always busy there. Their ramen is consistent and some of the menu has a Chinese twist. Tonkatsu broth is tiny bit salty to me. Everything else is great.
One of our fave ramen restaus around the shore 👌
Ramen Takara is always an absolute delight
It was an amazing experience for me. Beautiful service. We had to wait to get a seat, but it was worth it. Though it was crowded, there was no compromise on service or food quality. Both were excellent. Moderately priced totally worth for putting in time and money. It was an awesome treat to my tastebuds.
really good, not amazing but really good. Karaage chicken is a win, tonkotsu ramen is also a win. Very cheap and an probably the best place to go when feeling like ramen.
Last week we featured Tanpopo Ramen this time we will have some ramen again but in Ramen Takara Japanese Noodle House. There are two branches for this ramen place but we tried the Brown Bay Branch this time. We dined in here dinner time and on a weekday, having said that it does not mean there are few people dining at the place, in fact it was the opposite hence we were seated outside luckily there were blasting heaters on the ceiling and a thick plastic cover to protect us from the cold beach breeze.
The atmosphere was so great for dining at night. It was warm and friendly, with amazing waiters too. The food here is great, especially the udon and chicken. Would definitely come here again
One of the best ramens in the Shore. I really like the ambiance and it feels like you are in Japan. The ramen is legit at a very affordable price. There are a lot of veggies as well as mushrooms on it. Friendly staff as well. Will surely recommend this place. I would really like to come back again.
Food was absolutely amazing. The only downside was the portion size. It was just a tad bit too small for me but overall great staff and cute restaurant
Food is amazing and as a result, this place is always busy! It’s quite a small venue for its popularity so can be a bit of a squeeze when dining there but that just speaks to how good the food is! Definitely recommend eating here, great place for lunch.
Great food and great place. The food was a bit too salty for me, but the flavour is great. We ordered yakisoba, and a spicy jade ramen. We are quite happy with the ramen and it's texture is just on point.
Beautiful food, I especially enjoyed the broth of my tonkotsu ramen, it was full of flavour. The staff were friendly and catered to individual requirements happily.
Ramen Takara will always be my go to place for Japanese food! I absolutely love their gyoza, karage chicken and ramen! I had their wonton ramen most recently, super tasty. Such big portions for a good price!
I had the chashu ramen with upsized curly noodles and shared a 6 piece karage chicken. The ramen was everything I had hoped for with the broth being light and salty with a side note of pork from the chashu. Noodles were bouncy and firm which is exactly how I like them. The only thing that let me down was the chashu pork was Luke warm in the bowl of ramen rather than being hot and tender..
The Karage chicken is out of this world!!! Crunchy, juicy tender, generous pieces of chicken served with delicious slaw and a small bowl of dipping mayo. 10/10 fish for me!
Can’t wait to go back and taste the different ramen.
😍😍😍 karaage chicken don & pork belly spring rolls!! Ramen Takara is out of this world. Only $69.00 for two people with an entree and two cocktails too. They dropped a bottle of Jap mayo off at our table too which left me looking for a six star option.
I have been there a couple of time
Good food
Slightly pricy compare to the portion
Better than ponsonby one.
Great location right across the beach
One of the best Ramen in Auckland for sure. Had the seafood one with soup and changed the noodle into thich/curly. Absolutely loved it. It tasted better than some of ramen I tried in Japan!
Definitely recommend this place
Good food and amazing service! Big serving, tasty and affordable. Great value for money! Servers are polite and friendly too. Would definitely go back :)
Been coming here for the past couple of years and it has never let me down.
We ordered a Tonkotsu Ramen, Chashu Ramen, Pork Gyoza, and a tropical mocktail (with a name that I have now forgotten). Ramen was perfect as usual, well balanced flavour and more elements in a bowl than other ramen places. The gyoza was nice and crispy on the outside while being juicy on the inside, and the drink was refreshing and well needed on a hot summer’s day.
Service is always extremely friendly and high energy. It’s a very popular spot so a booking is definitely needed otherwise you’ll be in for a long wait.
Nice location close to the beach! Ramen has a nice balanced flavour. The broth was not too salty and oily which was good! The chicken karaage was really yummy! Decent portions and friendly staff too!
Love this place, it’s always very busy, yet service stays on top and people there are so friendly, food comes quickly to our table, good atmosphere, delicious food, great portion, very filling, reasonable price and overall a must visit if you’re in the area.
Family fave! The food is always delish, at a reasonable price. This place is always busy and pays to book in advance as this is a perfect go-to! Recommend Tan-Tan ramen :).
Definitely not a lie, nor understatement to claim Ramen Takara as the yummiest ramen spot in Auckland!
We ordered a shio tori ramen, beautiful shrimp base soup with yuzu places under the perfectly golden egg. The tsukemono was a great compliment to the dish and the chicken was tender and flavoursome. Brooth comes with very generous serving of spring onions and nori, very refreshing and gentle. We ordered too edamame and karage chicken - popular sides, my friend enjoyed the karage very much! Our eyes keep looking over to see what our neighboring tables ordered, as all their dishes look amazing. We will be back 😉 Service was great, very caring waiters and waitresses - we had a lovely ramen lunch in the beachy breeze!
We visited Ramen Takara a couple of weeks ago, attracted by the many very good reviews. We chose the pork gyozas to share for entree, followed by the Kaisen Shio Ramen ($17) and Nagoya Chicken Don ($16). The gyozas were delicate and delicious - probably the best we have had. The ramen bowl was large, generously full of large succulent prawns (at least 6), squid, vegetables and noodles. The Nagoya chicken was fantastic and filling, 6 large pieces of battered chicken, salad and rice. Both dishes were large, delicious, with complex tastes, and extremely satisfying for lunch. The service was prompt, professional and friendly. Overall this restaurant is great value for money, and definitely has us converted to ramen style food. We can see why this place has such good reviews and is always busy. We will be back.
Really good Japanese ramen noodle restaurant. It’s always amazing every time when we are there. Have tried many kinds of food and never disappointed!
LOVE Ramen Takara, definitley Browns Bays best restaurant!! Amazing service and the food is always amazing!!Dine in food is generally a lot better than their takeaways
Loved the karaage chicken and all their ramen is always absolutely delicious! Came here for Sunday lunch and they were full so we had to get called back for a table which took about 15mins so we just sat by the beach, so I’d recommend booking a table if you’re with a crowd. Service is really good too, will definitely be back ☺️
I love ramen and have been to many ramen restaurants in Auckland and Ramen Takara in Browns Bay is my favourite as they serve the most authentic Japanese ramen! Tried Tonkotsu, Chashu, and Tan-Tan ramen, left the place highly satisfied every time! :) Their Chicken Karaage is also pretty nice too.
Delicious food, like seriously- sooooo good. Friendly staff. Nice little place here, I really enjoy it. Tam-tam Raman and karage chicken are my top picks. Good value for money!!
4/5 Taste
4/5 Display
3.5/5 Quantity
4.5/5 Customer Service
One of best Ramen joint in Browns Bay.
Expected alot from the good reviews and they did not fail me. Decent soup, nice portion, good taste. Not much i can say about this place. Staff were extremely friendly I almost thought the waitress was hitting on me.
One of my favorite restaurant in Auckland!! The ramen is my favorite and the broth is amazing!! We ordered the gyoza , seafood ramen , wonton ramen and the sake selection. Everything was perfect 👌👌. The staff are lovely and I love the atmosphere. Booking on Friday night is a good idea as it can get very packed and we had a 40min wait for this night but was well worth the wait! I'll see you again for my next ramen fix 😍😍
Definitely a gem of Browns Bay. The food is consistently delicious every time with a wide variety of different types of ramen. My favourite being the Tonkotsu ramen, pork broth based ramen which has a deep and rich flavoured broth which is perfect on a cold winter's day. The gyoza (dumplings) are also a good complimentary side dish that goes well with the meal. Highly recommended.
A wonderful place to go with the family, with a decent selection of ramen, authentically made soup bases and multiple flavors. This is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants, and I would definitely recommend the Tom Yum Ramen and fried chicken. A delightful meal that never ceases to please .(do pardon my blurry photos)
Wow this place and the food take me right back to Japan! The food is so well made, fresh and tasty. Staff are attentive regardless of how busy. Portion sizes are on point. We had the pork gyoza, karage chicken and pork rolls to begin with, then each had noodle dishes ranging from tonkotsu ramen to Tom yum ramen to wok fried yakisoba. For 5 people it exceeded our value for money expectations. Highly recommend.
Very good food. Authentic taste. The tofus and broth tasted so fresh. As did the kara-age chicken in the Nagoya don. Prices are very reasonable and service is good. Portions are generous too. Keep the great quality!
We came without reservation and the restaursnt was full so we were on waiting list! They call us back after 5 mins! The ramen tasted really delicious! Big fan of them 👍👍
Best Japanese on the North Shore. Outstanding Ramen and it is really reasonably priced.... Large portions also. Always a favourite and it never disappoints.
We go to there regularly. Most of the time we were happy with most of the food. Only the Karaage Chicken was too greasy otherwise it would be 5/5 for us.
This is a frequently visited restaurant for our whole family. We have never sent a meal back in well over five years of eating here. The quality is always on point and the service is quick and friendly. The food is fresh and healthy and we never tire of eating at Takara.
One of the best japanese resto i’ve tried so far, it’s quite raining and craved for a nice bowl of steamy noodles and Ramen Takara satisfies me ... tried more besides ramen.. pork gyoza, chicken karaage, salmon and fried rice and everything is justifiable even if we waited for a long queue.
Delicious food and great customer service! wanted to swap out noodles which I couldn't do which was annoying but I ended up getting chicken teriyaki on rice and my boyfriend got a spicy pork black bean noodle dish and we got pork dumplings to share! All delicious! Great value for money too! Only $38 for both mains and dumplings to share
The food is amazing! Amazing service and environment! They try their best to delivery what you want!And the price... Super worth it! I really enjoyed it!
Always how to get my mouth watering. Flavours are so good! Love the ramen soup bowls! I’m almost unable to eat the starters of deserts. Defiantly getting your moneys worth people!
I’ve been here once before a few years ago and liked the donburi I tried. However, on my most recent visit I was craving ramen and wanted to compare it with the other ones I’ve been having recently. We came on a busy Thursday night, so I'm glad we had a booking.
While I liked my tonkotsu ramen (the broth was great), I have to say that the portion was a little small and I felt the toppings weren’t very generous. The noodles aren’t as eggy as I would’ve liked. I prefer the ramen at Ramen Do.
In addition to the ramen, I tried their beef tataki with rice combo. The beef was perfect and came with some interesting textures and paste, but the rice was really dry and not hot – it didn't seem fresh.
Price-wise, I was happy with paying $39 for two including a drink (Ramune – a cute Japanese lemonade drink). While the quality of food was a bit disappointing given Ramen Takara’s reputation, we enjoyed good service that night.
If your planning on coming here I definitely recommend booking as it’s super busy and if you don’t you’ll be put on a waiting list! We were seated at a clean table outside and were promptly served a cold glass of water and our menus. After reading the decent sized menu plenty of times we finally decided what to eat, I ordered the teriyaki chicken on rice with dumplings (typical me). The food didn’t arrive together and to be honest was no wow factor. There was nothing wrong with it at all, but nothing amazing either. The teriyaki chicken didn’t have much chicken only a few pieces with skin on so I wasn’t a huge fan. All in all an okay meal for a reasonable price, won’t make an effort to be back but won’t be mad if i did happen to come back either
Everything about this place is amazing the food is incredible The kharake chicken is my favourite the atmosphere of the place is very authentic and also the service is amazing and fast especially for how busy this place is !! I go here at least once a week absolutely love this place.
All time favourite spot in Browns Bay. Everyone is always super friendly and the food is always delicious. Vege Tan Tan Ramen is my go to! LOVE
Big fan of ramen Takara. It never disappointed me. Tonkotsu ramen is my favour, but today is so hot, I decide to try their summer special🔜cold ramen. Spicy and rich soup. It was very delightful. The lady serves us today also friendly and helpful.😎love here and it will be my personal canteen forever haha
So good here! Enormous portions make the already decent price for the ramen fine. However the pickled vegetables portion wasn't the best and wouldn't recommend unless you really want to try. The staff are always so nice and so smiley! And the vegetarian option(s) are very delicious.
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Came here on a Saturday afternoon with my sisters and girlfriends.
The place is a little small, which actually resembles authentic ramen bars in Japan! We got an array of ramen, such as Salmon Salad Ramen, Tan-Tan Ramen and other one’s ( i can’t remember the name of oops) and some daikon chips to start.
The daikon chips were better than expected! Thick, dense and crunchy and perfectly seasoned—top-notch. The salmon salad ramen is something you can opt for if you want cold noodles. The ramen was at the perfect consistency and the soup broth was a cold yet delicate play between sweet and salty; more sweet though, like ramen should be, and it was amaaaazing. I tried a little bit of the broth of the Tan-Tan ramen which is a sesame-based soup which is a little spicy and HOLY COW if you want flavour then this is for you! It’s kind of like a light curry almost, if that gives any indication!
Portions are absolutely massive and price is very reasonable! Food came out pretty fast as well.
Service is really good, we were served by a good-looking young man which made it that much better ;).
Overall I would definitely come back!
Food: 10/10
Price: 10/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Great and prompt service and great food definitely for the price! I had their Tan tan ramen and the soup was amazing, and lots of veges and flavours! Will definitely go back!
I had #4, Tori Shio Ramen! The chicken in ramen was something a little different because usually, I'd get chāshū ramen. It was a good different though! It wasn't any less flavorsome, I especially liked how peppery it was. Like, black pepper, not capsicum pepper ✌🏽
Having been to the ponsonby one as well I must say this one is much busier without having to compete with a strip of other restaurants on ponsonby rd. Props to the front of house for keeping everyone under control when we went on Saturday night, it was super busy so we went on the waiting list but managed to get seated after 15 mins.
Food came out rather quickly even though the place was packed but that's one of the pluses of having ramen. I had the kotteri shio with pork belly and stir fried veges. Giant steaming hot soupy bowl was a welcome sight on this grey wet evening but pork belly was a bit dry and chewy and some of the veges were barely cooked let alone what you'd call stir fried. All in all not bad for a casual meal out.
Food is too notch. Went several times and the food is always excellent and will never disappoint you. Definitely one of the best ramen I have ever had. Only issue is that you will always need to wait if you are not early or not made a reservation as you will guarantee require to wait if not. Overall excellent place to go and definitely recommend
Came here with my best friend after a recommendation from someone and the food was absolutely worth it. Their fried chicken was by far the highlight of the meal and the rest of the food was delicious and affordable.
However their customer could use some work. They were understandably really busy but I have to to other places where they are twice as busy but the waiters were still very attentive unlike they were here!
Ordered:
Spicy black sesame tan tan ramen
Chashu shyoyu ramen
Chikuzenni
$40
Never disappoints and ALWAYS leave with a happy stomach.
Best ramen you can find on the north shore and definitely comes with friendly service. Great ambience, spectacular flavours, really can't ask for more.
Ended up swapping with one of my friends' dish, think they were #9, 12 and 13 in the menu. But very good food in a nice clean environment and excellent service apart from there were sand on my seat.
Came here pretty often for regular ramen cravings, not my favourite but it does come with variety to choose from. On recent visit we ordered shoyu ramen, tonkotsu ramen and chicken karaage. Portions are just right, both ramen were okay, but we love takara's chicken karaage! It's definitely a must-have whenever you dine there. Would come again base on the karaage alone.
Love traditional ramen flavours that Ramen Tamara delivers. They have the most authentic Japanese flavours you will find! Great sake and Japanese beer collection .
Found this hidden gem on Zomato. Didn't realise how busy this place would be! And we got there quite early too -like just after 5.30pm for dinner and we had to be seated outside which was all good. Service is good here. The staff are young and fluent in English. Very friendly.
We ordered tuna tataki and pork belly spring rolls for starters. And oh my gosh the tuna tataki was SO. GOOD. Nice big piece of tuna and seared perfectly. The spring rolls very something different as well.
Ordered the wonton ramen for the main and the wontons itself was interesting -taste and the way they were wrapped. Very different. Quite a small bit of meat filling in the wonton and the pastry was quite thick as well -and there was a lot of it. Was gutted the boiled egg became a hard boiled egg. Would've been nice if the yolk was runny. The ramen itself was pretty good though. Oh and too much bamboo shoots in the ramen which I personally didn't like.
But overall would definitely come back for a feed! 😋
Ramen, ramen and ramen - that alone is enough to draw me in. A nice cozy restaurant with a lot of options on their menu (ok, so not just ramen). I highly recommend the karaage chicken, because who could go past deliciously deep fried little morsels of chicken?
Definitely would go back and in saying that should probably do that soon.... Yum.
Ramen, Ramen and Ramen. This one is good enough to draw me from nearby Harbour Bridge to drive up to Browns Bay.
Despite being far away from the city, I still encountered long queues here. Partly due to limited seating area (typical Japanese Ramen shop)
My recommendation is to stick with the Classics like Tonkatsu Ramen although their TanTan Ramen may appeal to those who wanna try something new.. You can go for "Black TanTan Ramen" if you feel adventurous.
Recommended! good service and worth the wait (outside) in the cold.
Ramen Takara is always busy and there is no wonder why. The food comes out quickly and each bowl of ramen is always perfectly balanced, hot and moreish. Everything on the menu from their miso soup to crispy chicken are winners. YUM YUM YUM
Really good vibe, ambience & locale, especially on a sunny day. Amazing and friendly staff, very clean & well maintained premises. For someone not familiar with Ramen culture, a good menu to venture and give an idea about the same.
Weather was terrible. 'Twas straight up pouring. After our meal, on the journey back to our vehicle parked close by, there were some suspicious-looking men with faces hidden and smoke coming out of their mouths, it was rather traumatic. PTSD, will not return. Food was yum.
Fantastic ramen. The very best in town. Great selection of amazing broth choices. Delicious noodles. Good range of supporting dishes. Super friendly staff. Love it.
This place had people waiting outside before it was even open at 11:30 this morning. The flavours of the Ramen, bukchoy, pork and bamboo balanced beautifully in the pork broth. It's a busy little Ramen restaurant with options for sharing plates as well. Looks like everyone ordered Ramen rather than rice dishes. The duty manager was Japanese and service was very attentive. Price was attractive at $26 for two bowls of Ramen, good quality food.
Delicious food (especially the seafood ramen and fried chicken), huge portions (good luck finishing), and my only complaint is that it's so popular it's difficult to get a table. Good value for money.
Personal opinion: ask for 'less salty' when you order your ramen, then you will experience one of the finest Japanese ramen in Auckland. Must-go.
Cozy little spot in Browns Bay, Walk in, take a seat and you will feel somewhere lost in Japan. Nice and comprehensive menu for ramen lovers. You have lots of choice such as the first Soy Sauce Ramen-If you don't know what to choose, always choose the first item on the menu, you wouldn't regret.
And also the pork Ramen with creamy savoury soup to indulge yourself.
Hmm, I would say there is more to treat your tastebud such as fried chicken pieces, Gyoza with cabbage&pork stuffing. Pairing a draft beer.
Then walk out into the sunshine breeze, you are back in New Zealand. However, your stomach and heart already left in that little space.
PS: Service is excellent. Good English, nice communication and good-looking waitor. ^^
Role Number One
If you wanna tell if a Japanese restaurant is legit or not, try their Tonkotsu Ramen.
It just takes so much effort to boil the pork bone to make the soup. Restaurant owners today just cheat by using some stupid stock instead of cooking the real soup.
I have been to so many Japanese restaurants here in New Zealand and I got disappointed again and again. I got fed up with those fake ramen here, and I was so desperate that there was not a single restaurant which can make a bowl of real ramen. Until today, I finnally find a restautant which makes real Ramen. The very moment I tried the soup, my tears almost came out. I mean it. So real! Exactly the same taste of the Ramen I had in Japan.
Definately the best Ramen restaurant in Auckland.
Dined here for the first time (tried the ponsonby one before). This place was super pack for Saturday lunch! We managed to score a table and ordered their basic soy ramen, chicken one and karaage. The broth is very lovely for both soy and chicken one. Really simple flavours and not too salty (even better with spicy oil). The ramen it self was also delicious and topping was a little on light side but then again it's best to order sides to compliment the noodles. Overall we really enjoyed it here. Good quality food and really good service despite the place being busy. Will def be back!
Craving for Japanese food? Takara is the place to be! This place serve one of the best ramen I have ever tasted. There are so many flavours to choose from. They also have a decent range of menu with rice options and other plates for sharing. They also serve a wide range of alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks. The price is very reasonable and the servings are quite big.
We were put on the waiting list as we went during dinner time and was advised to wait 15-20 minutes for a table. The wait was not long at all, after less than 10 minutes we got a call saying that the table was ready.
Everytime I come here, service is always really good. Would definitely recommend this place.
Came here around 12 for lunch and they were so busy! We ended up with outdoor seating which was fine as they had shading. Had the beef tataki and tsukemono for entree and both were pretty good, the beef tatami was a bit too thick but the presentation was beautiful and their onion relish was an interesting combination. For drinks we had their green tea and fermented tea, which I would definitely recommend as both were aromatic and presented in iron kettles which was a nice touch. For main we had the tonkotsu ramen and the yakisoba, the tonkotsu was slightly salty but all the ingredients were great, I really liked the texture of the egg in the tonkotsu ramen and the yakisoba was delicious with plenty of pork belly slices. For dessert we tried the Japanese rice cake with green tea which was really good! I loved the green tea and red bean combo as it was not too sweet and a nice texture. The service was okay, it could've been much better but they were really busy so I didn't mind too much.
One of my go to places for ramen.
Has all the traditional ramen options as well as a few others. Everything I've tried here have been done well. The tom yum ramen is one of my favourites.
Good service even when they are busy, and the food comes pretty quickly.
Yuuum! Good to grab food any day. They have tasty selections of their ramen and you could never go wrong. This resto is always packed and so it makes it a busy place. Service is not that good but not too bad either.
I enjoyed the food here, decent portion sizes and quick and efficient service. I highly recommend the Sweet and Sour Omelette, it sounds weird but it's delicious.
This is my favourite place for ramen! Ive been here a few times. I recommend the tom yum ramen which has a tomato base soup, which might sound weird but is great. Ive tried the tonkotsu ramen and yakisoba a few times and every time it was too salty. The karaage chicken is also really good but pricey for the small amount they give you. All the other ramen is just average.
This place gets very busy, so if you come for dinner without a reservation, be prepared to wait 10 or so minutes, but the friendly staff makes up for the wait.
I came with my family to Ramen Takara while I was craving some japanese food. We ordered the Yakisoba, the Tonkotsu ramen and the Kaisen ramen. The yakisoba was absolutely delicious with quite a lot of onions and it was just enough for one person. I loved the broth of the Kaiden ramen, it wasn't too salty and had just enough flavour.
The service was wonderful. The waiters were extremely nice. It was very busy when we were there so it took a bit longer for the food to come. Overall best Japanese restaurant I have ever been to.
Yeah definitely a good place ... quality food at affordable prices. .... have been there a few times and have had good service .... wait time to get your food is just right ... little cramped up but I can live with it .... considering the food and good location.
Great food. Excellent salmon salad, karaage chicken and santon ramen. The place can be hard to get into but worth the effort. Nice outdoor seating in summer with a peep of the sea.
A family fave especially on a cold and wet night.
Have recently tried the Santon Ramen.
It was yummmmm.
I just don't understand why they don't take same day reservations- why? Who plans what they want to eat days in advance???
This place is a must if you are in the area. Loads of choices and they are always willing to accommodate with meat swaps or adding additional. There are also loads of healthy options so you don't feel too guilty after eating here. Meals are large and well priced and always tasty, no matter what you order. I highly suggest the Karaage chicken! This place is always busy but they take your mobile number and give you a call when a table is ready if they are full when you arrive. Only down fall is that they rush you out the door to seat more people, they actually took my friends dinner away before he was finished last night... However would still highly recommend!
Quiet good dishes especially the ramen. The noodles are soft and with tasty soup. The pork Spring rolls are fare. The fried chicken are good. It is a nice place to chat with friends.
Came here with my s/o for a dinner date and noticed the restaurant was quite busy. Service was good. The atmosphere is super cute and authentic and the ramen choices are very unique which I like. Unfortunately what brings this rating down is the ramen itself. It's quite tasteless and bland, I had to put heaps of soy sauce in. The side dishes were nice but over priced. Would come back here for a drink or appetisers but not the ramen.
Looking for authentic Japanese ramen ? Ramen takara will satisfy your pallet to the fullest. Hidden away in this quiet corner of Browns bay overlooking the beach is this must try Japanese restaurant that will kindle your spirits with Japanese flavor and ambience. One bowl of ramen will fill your belly to the brim and at a very reasonable price. The place is a little small so make sure you book in advance and would recommend it for small groups or if you just feeling cold this winter and around the Browns Bay Area. Step in and rest assured you'll walk out slurping with bowl in hand
Winter comfort food at its best. The vegetarian noodles are spectacular -just as good, if not as flavorful as the meat broth ramen. Huge bowls of pure liquid umami.
Someone told me this is one of the best place to eat Japanese ramen in northshore and I couldn't agree more! Their portions are quite generous. We ordered miso ramen, santo ramen, salmon and avovado salad ramen, tofu terryaki don, and fried rice. Everything we ordered was a success. The only thing I would like to see is maybe have option of ordering small portion of fried rice with ramen like other ramen restaurants. I like to eat fried rice with my ramen but since the fried rice portion is large, I don't think I can order it if I'm by myself.
Jyothi Madanlal Chhabria
+4
highly recommend the renkon chips and pork gyoza. The wait staff are very friendly as well as efficient. An amazing mid week lunch. The place seemed to be a place for the 'local' japanese folk, so I think it is authentic
My partner and I came here for dinner on Friday night and it was packed, I would recommend booking. We ordered the karaage chicken (favourite dish), pork gyoza's (OK), chicken don and pork ramen which was huge bowl albeit a big salty. Overall pleasant experience and good value approx $60 total. Try it out for yourself!
We eat here often for years. Brought many friends to this place too. It never disappoints. My nieces, my parents, my fussy vegan friends all have nice meals here. Especially, my friends who lived in Tokyo for a decade was so surprised how authentic it is. Soup is not as salty as other Ramon places. Service was alway friendly and fast. So lucky to have you in Browns Bay!
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Last night, I ventured out to Brown’s Bay, Auckland and discovered a popular local gem: Ramen Takara. Even on a cold winter night, the Japanese noodle house was absolutely packed with at least a dozen people on the waitlist. The restaurant boasted a warm, inviting, cozy ambiance, attentive staff, and of course, their ramen menu featuring combinations of the famous, much loved Japanese dish.
I started with a Sakura cocktail of Japanese plum wine & cranberry garnished with lemon. The plum wine had a strong taste, but nonetheless it was surprisingly refreshing; sweet, tangy, but balanced and easy to drink. It made a perfect complement to my main, Tonkotsu Ramen, which was made on a cloudy pork base with chāshū pork, egg, bok choy, spring onion, bamboo shoots, ginger, mustard leaves. The portion size was very generous, making my meal incredibly satisfying and filling! I especially loved the pork, bamboo shoots and tasty soup. (I also photographed the delicious looking Tom Yum Ramen!)
For dessert, I enjoyed their Green Tea Mousse served with red bean paste and mini pastries with chocolate sauce. The texture was lovely, creamy and smooth, and the red bean paste and mini pastries complemented it well. The green tea mousse wasn’t as flavoursome as I’d expected, but this is coming from someone who is accustomed to very rich, decadent desserts! I would recommend this as dessert for someone who wants a sweet treat with a mild, balanced flavour that isn’t overpoweringly rich or sugary. For myself? I’d personally love to try their green tea cocktail featuring the exotic combination of green tea liqueur, Baileys & milk.
Overall, I had a great first experience at Ramen Takara. A welcoming, friendly restaurant with incredibly wholesome, hearty food, it’s definitely the perfect choice for a warm winter meal!
Sakura cocktail $13
Tonkotsu Ramen $13
Green tea mousse $8.50
“Dailee” 25% Off Zomato Gold
+5
Love noodles!! Our family just love visiting Ramen Takara, down to earth attitude, friendly and the food is of course delicious! Hand-made noodles is always a plus in our book. A main is about $16+ on average so reasonable and portion is great. I like that it allows dogs too even though their premise is not that big.
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Takara has been the talk of my circle of friends for a long time now and as someone who loves Japanese cuisine, I was also keen to try it out. It was a friend's birthday and we thought it was a perfect opportunity to finally make the journey.
We didn't make a booking and arrived early with four of us. We weren't picky with the timing and was prepared to wait. When we arrived, it was clear that the restaurant was busy and we were greeted by a staff member once they noticed us loitering outside. He seemed to relax a little when we told him that we were happy to wait until a table was available and he asked for our name and number and offered to call us as soon as a table became available so that we don't have to stand around blocking up the entrance. It wasn't a long wait at all and we were called soon after we left our contact information.
After we received the table, service was good and whenever the staff came to our table, they were polite and friendly if not a bit rushed. There's not much to say really as we didn't interact with staff too much. There is a section of the restaurant with a few tables that is secluded off from the main open area of the restaurant so it seemed like the restaurant was smaller than it is. We were in this section and even though it felt a little tight, it was comfy.
The Kotteri Shio Ramen was the special of the night. Now in my experience, the special of any restaurant can mean either one of two things. The first being, it's kind of like an experiment/the restaurant has got some amazing ingredients and the second being, the dish isn't as popular as the others and the restaurant would like to promote it so they don't need to waste ingredients.
Since we ordered pretty early on in the night, I was very surprised when we tried to order two specials, they told us they've sold out and only one was available. Well, no matter, we just changed the other order. If you don't mention anything, then the ramen given is the thin and straight noodle. You can opt for thick and curly or add $1 for gluten free rice noodles. Takara makes their noodles fresh on-site everyday and use only quality NZ ingredients. Due to this, I wish the staff member prompted us instead of assuming as we intended to get two thick ones for the experience but we were distracted and completely forgot about it. Their broth is prepared every morning for over three hours which is a shorter time span than the usual 6+ (some even over 24 hours). So of course, it should be expected that the soup to be lighter than I've experienced. However, due to the name 'kotteri', I thought that would reflect the dish and get a richer/thicker and more oily soup. We also found the soup from our other orders to be lighter, less saltier as well as less flavourful than the usual ramen. The real let down was the pork belly which I expected to be melt-in-your-mouth or at the very least tender. Unfortunately, the meat was hard and dry. I suspect it was braised too long or the ingredients were old.
Not sure if there were garlic chips in the dish but it came with an egg which I didn't expect as it wasn't included in the description.
We also ordered the Tori Shio Ramen and two of the Shoyu Ramen. One of my friends ordered Shoyu Ramen as is and my other friend added corn and butter. It costs $1 each for extra corn and butter which I think is slightly expensive. My friend who ordered this only had one comment: why do I get less spring onion than the original Shoyu Ramen?
We also ordered the Karaage Chicken. Unfortunately we were all disappointed with this dish. We absolutely love fried chicken so we had high expectations. The table next to us received fried chicken that looked better than ours did. In comparison, ours looked like they were over fried but that's not too much of a big deal as the chef did a good job with draining the oil. Our karaage wasn't super oily which is always a plus. The pieces look like they are huge. But unfortunately they were more crunch than meat. The protein sizes were inconsistent where some pieces were a fair size with proportional batter while other pieces were almost all batter (or skin) with only a little bit of meat. But, the familiar karaage marinade was obviously present and despite the inconsistent protein sizes, there was a great deal of crunch which is a major part of what makes fried chicken so irresistible. Pushing aside our high expectations, it was a good dish.
If 10 pieces at $18 seem too much for you, a smaller 6 piece option is available for $12.00.
Compared to other ramen both in NZ and Japan, Takara goes down lighter and less hearty, feeling healthier, fresher and you stay comfortable afterwards instead of feeling lethargic, bloated and regretful. If that's what you're looking for, then I would definitely recommend this place! But if you're after the signature ramen taste of heavy, thick, salty, hearty comfort food flavours then this probably isn't what you're looking for.
Overall an enjoyable experience, and if I'm on the lookout for fresh and light ramen, then I would definitely return.
Listed as one of Metro's top 10 Cheap eats for last few years it's easy to see why this place is doing so well! It's a great spot for locals or anyone in the area that loves Japanese food.
We visited for lunch and although it was quite busy, there is plenty of seating inside and out so it was relatively easy to get a table. We ordered four small dishes to share between us - Edamame, Agedashi tofu, Vegetable gyoza and the Crispy noodle salad. All the dishes were very satisfying and reasonably portion. Top dishes had to be the Crispy noodle salad (delicious dressing and well portioned) and the Agedashi tofu - although if it was a larger portion it would've been perfect.
The service was good considering how busy they were and our food arrived reasonably quickly during peak lunch time. We have also been the the Ponsonby restaurant but enjoyed the food more here! Worth checking out if your in the area.
Food is f*ckn fabulous :) very fresh and tasty.. awesome atmosphere and fantastic staff service. Waiting time and prices are quite reasonable. Plus an extensive choice of dishes keeps everyone happy! Reccomendation: Salmon Sashimi
A busy little place so make sure you book. The service was efficient and the turnover was quick. The food is authentic, with traditional soups and flavours. I personally didn't love the flavour of my pork ramen (no 7) and the smell was too strong for my liking but I did very much enjoy the dumplings, edamame and karage chicken. Don't ask the waiters what to order either.. That was my mistake! Good value for money but best to stick with the flavours you know and love.
The ramen base is really flavourful and you could taste the meat in it. The ramen is well made and it's perfect for slurping. The gyoza is also crunchy and meaty.
Great atmosphere and food. Tantan ramen is super duper yum along with their share plates, karage chicken and beef dishes are tops! Staff always super nice and usually very fast service too. Remember to book a day in advance as they don't take bookings on the same day
This place is great.
When we arrived at 6:30 on a Saturday there was a 15min wait which we had expected as we had heard it can be busy. The staff were very friendly and called us when our table was ready.
All the staff spoke some Japanese which was nice and were very friendly and attentive.
We ordered the shoyu ramen and the tonkotsu ramen. They were delicious and looked just like they do on TV. Next time however I would get extra noodles as they were so nice. The ramen was great so will definitely be coming back. The price for the ramen was very good as it was about $12 a bowl which was well worth it. We also ordered the pork belly spring rolls however they had abit too much onion for my taste.
Overall it was a great experience with great value for money, will be back!
Normally I had ramen in their ponsonby restaurant and that was my first time to have dinner in this one. Yummy ramen & Japanese style fried chicken-juicy and tender!! Seafood ramen is full of squid, so if u r squid lover then try it. Tempera tofu is nice matched with sauce. Fried dumpling is bit of salty. Happy that they r not using msg.
Brilliant brilliant brilliant!!! Have been at least 10 times now and have had a great meal each time. Have probably tasted most things on the menu. Really friendly service in a small restaurant which is somehow both bustly and intimate. Always surprised at how good the price is.
Great place for Ramen bowls of hot deliciousness, always busy, staff great, kids meals good too for the wee sprouts!
Wasn't so keen on the sweet and sour pork but have been many times for great food!
A Tale Of Two Tummies
+4.5
Food ordered:
Yakisoba (Stir Fried Noodles w/ Pork Belly, Cabbage, Onion, Mayo & Bonito Flakes)
Sweet Chili Prawns
Pork Gyoza
Bill: $41
Big tummy: Our friend has been raving about Ramen Takara for ages and after finally dining there myself, I was left with one question... why did we leave it so long to come here?? The food, the service, the location... all absolutely sublime. I ordered the yakisoba, which was jam-packed full of flavour, with each element of the dish complementing each other perfectly. Combined with the garnish of mayo and bonito, each and every mouthful seemed to be a new experience. I was lucky to be able to try my girlfriend's sweet chili prawns too, which proved to be another level in flavour again. Quite simply the best prawns I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Ridiculously juicy, cooked to perfection and accompanied by an insanely good sweet chili sauce. Like I'm not usually a big fan of prawn crackers, but the sauce @ RT had us devouring the crackers, just as an excuse to eat more of the sauce. Easily my new favourite Japanese restaurant. The only slight criticism I have, preventing me from giving them a full 5/5, is that the portions are a bit on the small side. Even with an entree (and helping my girlfriend finish her meal), I was still left a bit hungry upon leaving. I certainly wouldn't let that stop me from returning though.
Little tummy: I was super close to ordering the sweet & sour meat balls, but at the last moment I spotted the sweet chili prawns. And thank God for that! As a huge nutter for prawns, I couldn't have asked for more - the prawns were seasoned and cooked to absolute perfection! Bonus points to the waitress too, who recommended that I order the side of steamed rice, miso soup and pickle. They just added an extra element to the dish, making it stand out even more. Sadly, I only got to try a little bit of my boyfriend's dish, cause he was too busy nomming on it himself, but I guess that's just more proof on how tasty their food is. Definitely a well deserved 4.5/5.
Nice place, really good service!
Tried the tonkotsu ramen and the kotteri shio ramen. Tonkotsu ramen broth was alright, flavour tasted a bit too salty and bit artificial for my liking. The shio ramen was packed full of the toppings, texture of the noodles was great, nice mild broth as well! However not my personal favourite, although it was still good.
Keen to come again and try some other flavours!
Hand pulled fresh noodles in tasty and spicy soup, huge bowl with fresh veggies and delicious vegetarian options! Come to this place if you want to have the authentic Japanese Ramen experience! Had the last comparable Ramen during my time in Asia....
■ Great food
■ Good service
■ Very busy
My first time here and I just had to try it after so hearing so many great stuff about their menu ! Who doesn't love their Ramen?? I especially love their spicy dishes and their Chicken Karaage is like happiness to the soul ! Hahaha Its so crispy and delicious.
A nice little hideaway in Browns Bay and can get very busy coz this place is very popular. One hot pot here and youre good for the next 5 hours or so coz its honestly so filling. Their portion sizes are well sized. The staff are also so lovely and helpful. I love the soup that the noodles sit on coz the flavour's all captured to the brim! I'll definitely be back!
My favourite option for take out. Never had a bad meal from here, staff are super friendly and welcoming. I would recommend the Karaage Chicken and the Teriyaki Salmon but everything I've had from here has been great.
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Having walked past the restaurant many times today was the day that we actually went in and had a meal (sister in laws review from last night also helped). Upon entering we were made to feel very welcome, this great service continued until the last minute when we were wished a great evening. Staff were attentive and polite and added value to our meal.
The meal: being our first time there are plenty of options so I went for items that I was more familiar with: the tuna sashimi and avo starter is excellent, simple ingredients with refreshing flavours make it a great meal especially on a humid summers evening. Other two plates were the Pork Gyoza (excellent) and Pork Belly Spring Rolls (loved the flavour, made me feel very homely: difficult to explain). This last dish came with Japanese Mustard: an experience all on its own and one that I can only describe as euphoric, take in small doses.
My wife had there famous Karaage Chicken: having had various crispy chicken over the years this one is right up there with the best of them.
All in all a GREAT dinning experience was had, one I will tell all about and most certainly return to again in the future: plenty more dishes to explore and enjoy.
Happy Taste Budding
I visited Ramen Takara 2 weeks ago after hearing rave reviews from friends! This place was conveniently located in the browns Bay town area, and parking is aplenty.
I ordered the miso ramen and my boyfriend ordered the shoyu ramen. Both were incredibly delicious! The ramen noodles were springy and the broth was very flavourful. The shoyu ramen ($10) was a bit small for my boyfriend who has a big appetite, but the miso ramen was a lot bigger and richer than the shoyu one.
Due to the stir fry that topped the miso ramen, the ramen a bit too oily for my taste, but that did not matter too much.
Overall I highly recommend Ramen Takara for delicious ramen. My tip: call to make a booking as it gets very crowded during dinner.
We went to takara for Dinna with kids in tow.
Service was great and the food is awesome!
I am very keen to try other ramen.
We had the tan tan ramen and some dumplings which were stunning.
Our kids ate all their Dinna? ? A two and three year old just loved the food.
Thanks ramen takara we will be back ASAP.
This place has become one of my favourite places. The food is all delicious, I had the yakisoba and it was by far the best noodle dish I've ever had. The waiters are super friendly and the food and drinks are at a very reasonable price and huge portions. can't fault it.
I love this place. Been for the first time last month and I was impressed with their range of noodles. They also serve proper dinner. Service is really awesome, very friendly staff.
Great service and awesome food. Had sharing platters between 6 of us. Ate here on a Sunday night and unfortunately were told we had to leave at 8 due to maintenance, would've been nice to know this would be the case when we booked but in reality it is only a minor issue. Will definitely be back. Loved it
tasty ramen, quick and cheap food! I had No.7 ramen this time. Love the soup! Always choose straight noodle, but curl noodle is fine as well. Will definitely come again.
This resturant is the closest you can get to traditional Ramen you get in Japan ! Love the service as well, there is this one Japanese girl who is so sweet that greets you with open arms and the biggest smile. She already knows what to get you, if you have a baby (like me) she gets your high chair ready BEFORE you even have to ask, got the child's cutlery and everything all ready for you when you sit down! I have been here twice and my favourite Ramen has always been Shoyu Ramen and if i close my eyes whilst I eat the taste reminds me of the country side of Japan sitting at the Ramen Shop looking at the sun setting in the hills. I absolutely love eating here because it reminds me of my second home. I am from West Auckland and if I feel like Ramen I will travel all the way to Browns Bay for it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Been here couple times and still impressed by their foods!! The ramen noodle just perfect so does the base soup! I always go with different types of ramen everytime i come here. Miso, soyu, tomyum, saisai, and dandan. Thats all ive been tried so far and they are so flavourful. the omurice is another alternative and i just love it tho it's simply one bowl of rice topped with eggs. Ah one more thing, Yakisoba! Ah i really got nothing to say with this one, but its totally a must try. In overall, this still my best ramen shop in town and absolutely will come back here! Ps: service and price are great
This place is so tasty on so many levels. The staff for one are always awesome! The food is great too. I have been to Japan and I think their food is just as good. Can't beat the hand made noodles or the karage chicken... Mmmmm.
This is a delicious ramen (but also lots of other great food) spot which we love. It looks great, if a little squished, and the decor is nice. The wait staff are attentive and if there's no tables available they let you know a wait time and keep tabs on you.
The food is awesome. It pretty much goes without saying that the soups are on point, but the other dishes are too. The karaage chicken is crispy and tasty and comes with a great mayo-type sauce and slaw. And last time I went, I ordered some kind of ham fried rice, which I must recommend as I liked it even more than the soup.
Well worth a visit.
Best ramen in the city with awesome view of course!! Karaage chicken meal for kids is amazing! Salmon salads ramen great touch with refresh wasabi! Upsize tonkatsu ramen is always good to have anytime!
We went here tonight after looking at reviews on Zomato. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, which was very tasty and very filling. I had never had Ramen before and I think they have set the standards very high. The staff were welcoming and friendly and very helpful when making choices. We will be back!
Came here after Japan won the rugby- this place was brimming with happiness. Heaps of vegetarian options. Was so happy to have vegetarian gyoza- as most japanese places only have meat gyoza. Also had the teriyaki tofu don. Love the decor and the staff were a delight.
Had the Tan-Tan Ramen here last night, just as good as I remembered it being! Menu seemed to have been redesigned really tastefully since my last visit. Staff were really friendly. Overall great service! 👌🏼
As a ramen lover and after travelling through Japan and tasted close to a hundred different bowls of ramen, I would say Takara simply serve the most authentic and best Tonkotsu Ramen in New Zealand. I especially love the homemade noodles. I know there are many ramen shop here that does pretty good Tonkotsu broth but without homemade noodle they cant be considered good ramen. Thats just my humble opinion.
We finally went there for the first time today,they just got the Metro cheap eats top 10.
The service was impressive.It was a pleasant experience.
Bets ramen I've ever had, tastes authentic and I love how you can customize your dish to add or take away toppings. The karage chicken is in my opinion the best fried chicken in the world. One of my favorite ramen dishes from here is the Tan Tan Ramen - you'll slurp the entire bowl clean. The dishes aren't too oily either which makes is quite a refreshing meal. The servers are lovely and bubbly, the only problem I would point out is the time it takes for the food to come out - I've waited half an hour before, however the restaurant is quite busy. All in all, a solid 4.5 stars.
Went to dinner at Ramen Takara tonight and we were all really impressed! The food was really flavourful and fresh and every thing was delicious! For starters we had the edamame beans which I personally didn't like too much, pork gyoza which were amazing! The meat was very juicy and the vegetables were nice and crunchy! The pork belly spring rolls were full of flavour and probably my favourite, and the karaage chicken which was nice and crunchy on the outside and very tender on the inside and the teriyaki chicken was very nice too. For mains we had the shoyu ramen, miso ramen, sai-sai ramen all were really flavourful and enjoyable. The staff were great and it's really well priced! We'll definitely be coming back
Ok so you may think hmm noodle soup. How lame, I feel like something filling. Well this place has got you covered. Handmade ramen noodles, char shu pork cooked incredibly well, and then a mixture of incredible flavours and textures that give you a bowl of soul food that warms and cuddles you almost. I can not say enough good things about this place and my only gripe is that it's all the way out in Browns bay. Move to Auckland proper please.
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A few years ago a small Japanese Ramen restaurant opened up in Browns Bay - this place looks more like a bar than your typical Japanese restaurant. Ramen Takara is one of those places that never really gets the publicity it deserves. A few months back, they finally opened up a new branch in Ponsonby - which gives the place a good kick for publicity.
Now what makes this place so distinctive is the fact that this restaurant matches the description of what you would see in the movies of a traditional ramen place. What's even better? The owner-chef Yuki actually grew up watching her own father work in a ramen restaurant at the foot of Mount Fuji; so you know she's the real deal, passing on the traditions of a genuine Japanese ramen restaurant.
If you ever end up here for lunch or dinner, order the side dishes, definitely try the spicy mabo tofu (this is a Chinese dish, but since it's so good, I think we can let Takara take the points), and the karaage chicken (remind me to find out where the Top 10 Karaage Chicken dishes in Auckland are). Dumplings - Slight disappointment as they came out dry, but hey, the other dishes really made up for it.
Ramen: Small dishes aside, this is what the fuss is really about (after all, the place is called Ramen Takara). Generous amounts of vegetables, meat, and noodles where you can pick choose all you want; this is what ramen is about. Judging by the quality of the noodles (fresh, and not over cooked so that it's soggy), you know the staff know their stuff. If you're wanting a filling lunch or dinner that's the real deal - this is the place.
PS. Don't forget to make the slurping noises when downing the ramen.
Heard about this place from friends. They did not disappoint w their Ramens. I really liked their spicy and pork ramen and I like how you have the option to add more things it (it costs ofcourse). Perfect on a cold winter night. Their karaage chicken was perfection, crispy and juicy. The service was good, very welcoming.
I revisited Ramen Takara after a disappointing experience a couple of years back. I was blown away by the food and service, definitely much better than the last time I visited. My spicy ramen was flavourful and hot, perfect on a cold evening! My partner loved the teriyaki chicken and salad, the karage chicken was crispy and delicious and left us wanting more. I have definitely changed my mind about Ramen Takara, and will be revisiting.
First timer yesterday with my wife. Place was great. We had Ramen and appetisers, perfect for the cold weather.
Place was clean and staff warm and friendly! Ramen broth very tasty. We will definitely go back for more.
Always come here for Japanese ramen, because you always have that day where you just crave ramen, and Takara is where you go. I've practically tried everything on the menu and my favourite combination would be the chicken karaage, tonkotsu ramen with a Sapporo tap. The portions are well sized and taste never disappoints whenever I go. The only thing I dislike is that they are always busy!! I would always have to reserve or wait for about 10 to 30 minutes for a table. They should really open a bigger place to accomodate all the regulars (like me) and the new-comers (like you).
Seth Blissworth Baguion
+4
Been to this place twice already for their Ramen! Great flavours and perfect for cold weather. The staff are excellent and very friendly and helpful. Quite a nice little place tucked away in browns bay. Am still yet to visit the Ponsonby branch!
Went here last night with my partner and the first thing you feel when you walk inside is welcome. The entire staff welcome you in and we got a seat straight away. Service in getting our drinks and other orders was very quick.
The sizes of the dishes were more then enough along with the flavour. We were defiantly left satisfied and we will be going back for more in the future.
The food was pretty good so far the best Japanese restaurant I've been to. I liked the atmosphere it was very clean and lovely. The staff were the highlight though they were very nice and i would go there again.
Yum yum yum!! the katsu chicken has to be the best! But a very enjoyable experience, friendly staff and yummy food:)
Love the ramen here. It's hard to find a nice ramen place, but this is one of them!
Great friendly and quick service. Nice presentation of dishes and the pricing is also very decent.
Only aspect that would have made lunch a bit more comfortable would be heaters.
This was my second visit and I had the tan tan ramen and chicken karaage. The ramen was great and the chicken karaage was delicious! It had a crisp thin coating which was nice :)
It is a nice place, really friendly staff with a nice atmosphere.
Came upon this place by chance with a friend for dinner after work, and did not regret it.
We both really enjoyed our meals and are keen to go back and explore more of the menu.
Had ramen, simmered vege and deep fried chicken. Love all of them. Also had the best sake ever. Will definitely recommend to friends and come again.
This place is one of two places that have become a staple hangout. Ever since I celebrated a birthday a few years ago at this place, it has been an establishment that myself and my workmates/friends continuously come back to and the continuous care they give us, knowing that "it's me again", is awesome. They even bother to make sure that either a vegetable or miso broth is made up for me, as I cannot have anything with a pork-base in it.
The Kaisen ramen is top notch, as are the dumplings and - once - the takoyaki, which has since been removed from the menu. Though I hope this particular item does return. In saying that, I really respect that the folks at Ramen Takara like to ensure that fresh and pure is at the heart of it all, which is awesome.
If you have never been, I highly recommend it. They recently opened up a Ponsonby branch which I may have to check out at some point!
Lunch was amazing!!!!! Quick and delicious for under $20 you can't bet it. I had edamame and a teriyaki chicken don, portions that fills you up. Will be back :P
Closest thing NZ has to the thick delicious ramen you find down back alleys in Tokyo. Would give a rating of 5 if the pork/chicken on offer was free range. The prices are so reasonable it wouldn't matter if they were bumped up by a few bucks to make this happen!!
We were introduced to Ramen Takara by a friend, so we came with high expectations. It didn't disappoint! I ordered the Tonkontsu ramen, and I just can't get over that soup... it is so flavoursome. We went as a large group, but it seems everyone was very pleased with their meals. Staff were very friendly and efficient; everything thing came to us very quickly. We've been back there a few times since and it's always an enjoyable meal.
Best ramen in Auckland. The friend I went with was just back from Japan and mentioned how authentic it was. The staff were so friendly and the atmosphere is great. Some excellent sake too.
This is, with out a doubt, my favourite dining out restaurant on the shore!
An amazing, inviting and friendly atmosphere with fantastic price on yummy food.
When I'm looking to impress business partners or friends, I look to bring them here. We are always greeted with a friendly staff member and will an out side seating area with the beach just in sight it hard not to love this place.
My Favourite is the Kaarage Chicken and pretty much any of the Ramen dishes.
Thank you Takara!
Tanz Churchill-Pipson
+4.5
Wow, hands down the best service we've had in a very long time, staff were so friendly and attentive, even with a full restaurant, meals were quick to arrive, fresh and tasted great. We will def be returning, at $3 per head for corkage this was really reasonable and total cost all up for 2 of us was $71
This is currently the go-to place for me and my wife when we're hungering for that hot bowl of ramen on a cold night. We've tried ramen in several places, but have always found ourselves comparing the bowl in front of us to what we're spoiled with at Takara.
We have also been to Takara since four-five years ago and they've maintained a consistent standard over all this time - it's not an easy feat and we appreciate them for the rich broth and al dente noodle that they deliver with each bowl.
The only downside is that they no longer accept bookings for same day meals, and while that means a table is no longer guaranteed, we usually have our dinners early and it's worked for us.
If you haven't been, try their tonkotsu ramen or tom-yum ramen (without coriander - personal preference only!) - you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Amazing food and service! The ramen is authentic, delicious, big size and the prices are just ridiculously low for the food and service they offer!
Hope they will never change!
Best ramen in Auckland. Scrumptious authentic food and great service! Reminds me of some amazing ramen places in Japan. If you want a real taste of it, this is the place to go!
Situated at the South end of Browns Bay, Ramen Tamara is an authentic Japanese restaurant, which stands out for its quality of service and food.
I took my girlfriend and our families out for dinner last night, and we had a great time. The service was fantastic and the food was really good. The menu was a bit limited, but the shared menu was good and their ramen was great.
I'd recommend Ramen Tamara to friends, family, and followers..
In my search for the best Ramen in Auckland I asked the experts...
The Japanese :)
And guess what most of them said? Takara.
They were right, the ramen is excellent and you're spoilt for choice, there is many types and extras. So if you're a ramen lover give this place a try. I'm yet to try any other dishes than the ramen.
The only downside of Takara for me is that this place is quite far from my home because it's in Browns Bay.
I have been going to Takara ever since they opened years ago. I must have been a lot younger and used to go with my parents. I remember slurping on their delicious, big bowl of bouncy noodles. Ah! Amazing! The soup that the ramen sits in is absolutely delicious. My favourites from the menu is the karage chicken, the crispy noodle salad, kaisen agesoba and the tuna avo salad. The only reason I didn't list a favourite ramen is because they are ALL so good!
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As a fan of Japanese food I wasn't too sure what to expect from Ramen Takara. Is this another one of those restaurants that has a predictable menu where I would end up ordering an overly sweet Teriyaki something or maybe a bento dinner box with tempura that has more batter than vegetable or prawn 'yawn'........maybe the chicken curry rice or some Udon noodles......well guess what! Ramen Takara has an excellent selection of Japanese food and a menu that seems to be refreshed seasonally. I chose from the summer menu. To kick things off I selected a Japanese lemonade which was quite interesting in that the mouth of the bottle had a marble that you had to release in order to be able to drink from it.......getting back to the food and my experience......the group I was with was greeted and served by courteous staff. I chose a sesame soup based dish (tan-tan ramen) which I would recommend that was absolutely delicious and came with a generous serving of condiments.
My starter was pretty good too I chose a vegetable Gyoza and my wife chose the crispy noodle salad. Both were presented very well and tasted fantastic.
A good night out overall and well priced.
I'll definitely becoming back to this place for my Japanese food fix.
Rating out of 5 (5 being the highest):
Food – 4
Ambience – 4
Presentation – 4
Service – 4
Environment – 4
Great varieties of Japanese food from Japanese tapas, ramen, rice dishes and dessert. Highly recommend the greentea mousse with chocolate pastries. Affordable pricing for quality of food but the location a bit inconvenient
I didn't even know about this place until my partner brought me here. Walked straight in, was a little noisy due to a large party of girls and as it is a small restaurant don't let this put you off.
Waitress was very pleasant and friendly. Took our drinks orders. Waited less than five minutes. Likewise our food orders were prompt. Love the layout of the menu with pictures along side the descriptions; not that you need them. Menu is very simple to follow.
I ordered the spicy tan-tan Ramen. Very tasty and full of noodles. Partner ordered pork based Raman. Can't wait to return to try their other offerings. Loved the service. Overall a great place to spend a cold wet evening.
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My favourite lunch and dining venue in Browns Bay. We sit outside due to our dog so seating can be tight at busy times. Sunday lunch is usually ok if anything a small wait is endured.
Ordered entrees salmon sashimi and pork belly spring roll.
Mains were three bowls of wonton ramen, tom yum ramen and Tonkotsu Ramen.
Overall happy with the food service and environment given the restaurant was moderately busy.
Comments Salmon sashimi is expensive but they try to be creative with what is generally strips of fish. Spring rolls were two moderately large rolls. Taste was different and the side mustard paste nice but prefer it was with a ham sandwich.
My ramen was the Won ton ramen. Note menu changed a little to the one loaded. Was not a strong soup taste but still enjoyable. Also tried the Tom yum Ramen this was a little odd in flavor more a sour and pepper hot than the spice expected of thai Tom Yom soups. Also too heavy in cooked possibly canned tomato.
I always regard the home made and sometimes curiously wavy packet looking home made ramen the drawcard of Takara. While most ramens are $12-$16 you can't regard a meal here as a real cheap eats place more a quality ramen and japanese cuisine restaurant.
We came here to try the ramen burger, and it did not disappoint! The meat patty topped with the ramen 'buns', along with the lotus chips were very tasty.
Awesome place, awesome food, awesome service. In the heart of browns bay town, right next to the beach. I don't know how I did not know of this place after living here for so long. I will most definitely come back everytime I get some ramen cravings.
I went last night for dinner with my wife. Service was great. Meal was great. Price was great. We didnt make a booking however they were turning people away who had not made bookings because they were so booked up. We were just lucky to get a table.
Ramen Takara is our favourite casual Japanese restaurant in Auckland. The staff are always very friendly, the ramen authentic and fried chicken always a favourite with the kids. I highly recommend the Moyashi Ramen (vegetarian option) and the 500ml cans of Suntory Premium Malts are great value (plus the best beer in Auckland). The Sapporo beer on tap ain't half bad either! As with the reveiwer below, I have been to many Japanese restaurants in Auckland and Takara can't be beaten. We cannot recommend highly enough. Keep up the good work Yuki-san.
This is my favourite Japanese restaurant by far! I never go a month without eating here or getting takeaway. We took our friends here last weekend (they usually dont eat japanese) and they absolutely loved it and couldnt stop raving about it. The Moyashi Ramen and the Renkon Chips are thee best. Dont ever leave Browns Bay!
This is our favourite ramen restaurant in Auckland, recommended to us by Japanese friends, and we visit a couple of times a month to assuage our nostalgia for Japan, where we lived for a decade. We've been regulars here for a good few years, and it has been brilliant to see how much it has expanded from the original small shop with just a few tables. I'm not a massive fan of ramen ordinarily, so I'm quite picky, but I always enjoy the tonkotsu ramen and tantan-men here. There is also a good selection of dishes for those who aren't noodle fans, and the range of beer and sake is great, too. We've never had a problem with service, even on days when it has been really busy there. I have no hesitation in recommending Takara!
Went to Takara with a hankering for authentic ramen after visiting Japan last month.
We went as a large group on a Saturday night. The staff were friendly and helpful throughout even though they were really busy.
Dishes took a while to come out. Unfortunately timing was all bad - some entrees coming out way before others while the other entrees came out much later with some mains.
The ramen was delicious - I had the tan-tan men and asked for no pork mince. It was perfect and reminded me of the wonderful flavours I had in Japan some weeks ago.
Enjoyed Kirin beer and cold sake with our meal. The waiter was really friendly and helpful when we asked him about the best places to get sake in Auckland.
I will definitely be back to Takara in the near future.
My husband and I go here on a regular basis for a good authentic meals and great Ramen. Having been spoilt all my life with fantastic meals from my Japanese mum who worked in a Japanese restaurant - this is definitely one of my favourites in Auckland. I also notice one of the chefs from her restaurant also dines here on a regular basis. Good prices in a small friendly setting.
TAKARA is the place for a deliciously authentic and reasonable Japanese ramen in Auckland!
Ramen: Tasty, home-made
Menu: Lots of variety to choose from
Fantastic location: Browns Bay (near the beach)
Food: 4.8/5
Price: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
It used to be our usual, but not quite now. Price seems to hike a little and amount of ingredients (esp meat) has been cut down. But their ramen is still then best. :)
We love this small restaurant which to us offers a different slant on Japanese food with the Ramen noodle dishes.
It is BYOW and the food is delicious and very reasonably price. Staff are friendly and the service is prompt. You have to give this restaurant a try.
Delicious ramen, just like the ones in Japan. Reasonably priced, nice sunny north facing location. Staff were friendly, good service. Will definitely return with a group if friends & this will be my new local
I'm pretty sure that this is the best ramen outside the CBD area of Auckland and I've visited on several occasions. The restaurant is fitted out to a high standard and the staff are friendly. I most recently had the cha shu men which was excellent and have had the hiyashi chu ka in the past. The cold noodles were good but the sauce lacked the sour vinegary bite that I used to enjoy when I lived in Tokyo. Still very good though and will definitely be going again. One of the few Japanese restaurants in Auckland that feels genuinely authentic.
Our family eat at Takara about once a month. The service is excellent, the ramen is made on the premises, and the food is beautiful. I have fallen in love with their hot spicy Tom Yum but also enjoy the salmon and seafood with crispy noodles. Highly recommended.
So the word on the street is this is the BEST ramen joint in Auckland!! I was surprised to find they do the Tonkotsu ramen in a spicy based soup... read more on my blog with pictures: http://chicabel.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/takara-ramen.html
Best ramen place I've been to in Auckland. The food was delicious and the staff are ultra friendly. They managed to move tables around to suit the busy time and made it work instead of simply having people wait for tables. Very impressed with all aspects of this restaurant, frequently visit it and will continue to do so!!
Hi Ramen Takara,
Yummy, yummy, delicious, wonderful dishes I loves. I visited every Ramen restaurants in Auckland so I voted the best ever Ramen is Takara! Their chefs are far better than Masterchef Australia, true..The Masterchef judges will vote their dishes to the best ever and they will love to go there, I am sure! I never forget their staffs show their smiling faces..
I love TAKARA. Ramen,chiken,dumplings are amazing! People here are nice and kind. My favorite is Kaisen Ramen.
This is the BEST ramen place in Auckland! Home made noodle is sooo yummy. There are options to choose from thick and thin noodles, and lots of soup choices, and toppings, as well.
As I am Japanese, I am proudly telling you, it is a authentic ramen restaurant, just like one in Japan!!
Ever since my first bowl, it doesn't matter what I say, no matter what I do, every little thing reminds me of you~ and it gets harder everyday, I don't know what to do, every little thing reminds me of you~. Tasty, very warm atmosphere, and doesn't leave holes in your pocket :D!!! What else do you need in winter. ;)
NB:still good in summer, take a walk down the moonlit beach after, it'll send u to bed smiling till the morning.
After eating at alot of ramen shops all around Auckland, i think this is the best one, this is a real Japanese ramen shop, not a Japanese named shop run by koreans, as for the below statement its a ramen shop alex, not KFC, ramen means noodle, of course there is not alot on the menu, its a noodle shop.
Great food the Ramen are to die for.
Reasonable prices.Staff always friendly
Love the home made noodles there.
The food is always great and people here are friendly! Its just that food portion is enough for me. Overall great place to have nice jap noodle
Wonderfully authentic Japanese food with generous portions and a great price. Tasted just as good the next day for lunch. We'll definately be back with friends.
For an authentic bowl of Japanese Ramen, look no further than Ramen Takara.
Ramen Takara has excellent service, the ramen is made on the premises, and the food is authentically Japanese. They offer both a eat in and takeaway menu, making it a great option for Friday night takeaways.
I personally can recommend the Miso Ramen, but have never heard a complaint from any of the family members ordering, it's all really great!
If you do decide to eat in, I recommend booking a table to save yourself from disappointment!
What I love the most about Ramen Takara is the noodles itself; especially the curly type. Springy, chewy, homemade and cooked perfectly! I think it's essential that a ramen eatery has signature noodles of its own.
I find Ramen Takara warm and very hospitable. You are greeted with full on Japanese interior and cheerful staff, with nice open kitchen plan and spacious dining place. Their ramen are very very good; my personal favorite is the Tonkutsu ramen, with light-but flavorful broth (as oppose to uber rich and tad oily versions of some other ramen places) and freshness from the ginger and bamboo shots. Their dumplings are not bad either, perfect ramen eating companion! As of their agedashi tofu, I find it lacking a bit of saltiness. I love how they have Sapporo on tap here!
Having lived in Japan for a couple of years I am always on the look out for great authentic Japanese cuisine. Now I've found some of the best in Auckland - in Browns Bay! Come out here for a day on the beach followed by some excellent ramen (they also do many other Japanese dishes) - you won't regret it. Funky fitout, young attentive fun staff and some of the best agedashi tofu in town. Check out a full review with dish recommendations here http://cheapeats.co.nz/ramen-takara/
This shop has homemade noodle and the vendors offer a variety of noodle dishes to choose from. This seems to be rare in Auckland.
We ordered seafood fried noodles, which is a kind of noodles that is fried in oil and is very crispy, while the other part is soaked in the soup and is soft, elastic and delicious. Rich variety of seafood. This noodle is very similar to the one I ate as a child in Shanghai 40 years ago. At that time, it would only be eaten once during the New Year and special occasions. However, this cooking method is almost impossible to find in Shanghai today. Dandan noodles are also great.
The staff are also very welcoming and smart. What a wonderful encounter 💕
Impromptu noodle craving of friends led us to these place. All 9 of us enjoyed the warm staff and quickly served food much to our delight. An authentic Japanese ramen to go to in Brown's Bay.
Excellent food and reasonably cheap too.
Highly recommend this place
Wow! Delicious! Super friendly staff and gluten free options. Felt like I was back in Japan.
Loved loved loved everything we had at takara. Pretty busy place in Brown Bay so you must be early. Happy that our group of 4 came at the right time around 1230pm for lunch and we were seated right away. A few minutes late, the queue was building up already.
Food was really fantastic and the price was right.
I truly enjoyed my Tom yum ramen and the chicken karaage. The gyoza was ok could be a little bit more crispy, the pork belly spring roll was crispy but I didn't taste much pork belly in it.
My partner said his tonkatsu ramen was good too and our mate ordered the spicy Tan tan ramen and boy did he sweat it out eating it 😁.
Parking is by the Browns Bay beach so no worries there.
Overall, our experience was good but I wondered why they don't accept Mastercard. Anyways, we would be back again when we are around the area and remember where to get a good Japanese fix.
Authentic tasting Ramen Restaurant. The Tonkatsu Ramen is highly recommended. The karage chicken and gyuoza were spot on and good size portions. Ask for the Kid's menu, choose a main plus a drink or dessert. Excellent service and the food came out fast, although it was a busy lunchtime
Great ambience with tasty ramen. Place is small that is why they'd ask you to book first. Overall, it is great place for ramen.
Enjoyed the Tori Shio Ramen, Vegetarian Gyoza plus the warm sake. 🍜👌Everything was perfect. Will definitely come back.
Thalia Wilson Campbell
+5
I need to express how much this place feels like home. If I could vote 10/5, I would. I had the privilege of visiting Japan this year, and upon arriving home, my husband and I were seeking a dining experience that could provide us with a similar overseas feeling.
Using the best Japanese we can, we visit once a week, chatting to the wait staff, slurping on the Tokyo Soy Based Shoyu Ramen, priced so reasonably it's a no brainer to make this your local go-to.
However, this is not why we go back; we go back because of the warmth of the people, the out of this world fresh and flawless comfort food, and the feeling that we are visiting a slice of home away from home.
The food always comes out very quickly and none of our friends have ever left less than impressed.
They have vegan and non vegan options but for this cultural experience, I recommend branching out if possible.
They take bookings up to 24 hours however leave half the restaurant for walk ins so don't be afraid to rock up.
Parking can be difficult but countdown across the road works well.
Wheelchair access is possible however may be outside with coverage and heaters.
See you there :)
We have been coming here for many years since we discovered it whilst living in Browns Bay. Now we live on the South Island and miss it so much that we make a point to come here whenever we're back in Auckland (which isn't often enough!). The food is always great tasting and quick to the table, the staff are very attentive too. Never change!
We walked in Saturday. It was very busy shop, 24h book ahead recommend .
Miso ramen was great! Vegetarian spring rolls was crisy and fresh. Dandanmen(noodles), Ponsonby branch is better than here. As there is strong wokhey. Oshi~
Absolutely amazing food and experience. Staff were friendly and more importantly extremely prompt and efficient. We came at one of the busiest times - Saturday 6:30pm, and did not get a table until an hour later. Our mains arrived at 8pm and just after that every table around us was still full. The food was legendary - we ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen, Tan Tan Ramen and Karage Chicken (starters). Every dish was outstanding in flavour and texture and we reckon it's probably some of the best ramen we have had in New Zealand. Servings were huge and we struggled to finish the three dishes between the two of us. Highly recommended, try to come earlier to avoid the rush. They didn't take our booking for a Saturday night but might do bookings for quieter nights.
We are not familiar in the area and were quite impress as the restaurant is stone throw away to the beach. We went to the beach after eating.
This is a very nice and clean restaurant. We went here to try their ramen and it didn’t disappoint.
The staffs are friendly and helpful, we will definitely come back.
Food quality:5
Size 4
Service:4.5
Value for money: 4.5
Recommend to book in advance
One of the best Ramen shops.
I lived in Japan for several years, and had many Ramens all over the country, Takara is with the top 10% of all places.
Vibes for days. This place has such a chill atmosphere and the food is perfection. The outdoor seating is nice for dinner and the staff have the best drink recommendations to match your food. Rate ordering **any** of the ramen and tsukemono. Everything is amazing
It is an amazing restaurant owned by the most wonderful people! The food is delicious and their service is great. It's a must visit in Browns Bay and Ponsonby.
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