Tanto Japanese Restaurant

Reviews

• Anthony G.

  star star star star star 12 June 2026

  I'm always excited to share this restaurant with friends and family. I'd want their food to be part of my last meal if it came down to it. Foreals.
  
  If you want the optimal experience, please always call and make a reservation.
  
  If you're not sure what to order because there's so many options, check out my recommendations below:
  
  Gyusuji ni
  Tako potato
  Sashimi salad
  Yaki onigiri
  Tako wasabi
  Kani koroke
  Kani gratin
  
  Hot sake, beer
  
  Last time I had dinner here, a friend ordered and ended the feast with their Shingen ice cream (green tea instead of vanilla). It was a generous size, shared between three of us, and perfect after eating all the savory 'tapas.' The soybean flour on top was such a nice touch. Please eat here if you're reading this!

• Edna C.

  star star star star star 28 May 2026

  My first visit to Tanto was a bit of an embarrassment. Thinking it was like typical dainty bite-sized izakaya fare, I ordered a whole lot of items.... but as the feast of not-so-small plates kept coming, I became increasingly worried that I looked like a gold-digger mooching off the in-laws for my own foodie-minded worldly desires.
  
  Tanto poses a classic first-world problem: the menu is huge and the options are endless, but fortunately, essentially everything I have tried is amazing (sometimes it's not exactly as you envision, but it's nonetheless delicious in its own right--I don't recall ever being disappointed).
  
  If you don't know where to start, I suggest looking at the chef's specials section since these are their specialty items, many of which I have not seen anywhere else. There are gratin dishes for cheesey goodness, buta pie zutsumi (pork stew pie that comes with pastry wrapped around tender pork, similar to a beef wellington), tamago options (soft fluffy Japanese omelettes), and more (seared duck breast, crispy rice, even lettuce cups).
  
  The yaki onigiri is popular and nothing beats perfectly grilled rice that's crisp around the edges and seasoned with spicy cod roe. (There are also other onigiri options under rice/noodles). Another of my staples is the chawanmuchi, an off-menu item that my aunt recommended. It's a  a Japanese egg custard and I'm a fan of Tanto's version, which has a silky-soft texture and a smattering of mushrooms etc.
  
  There are a number of great carb options under rice/noodles. Besides udons and many fried rice variations, there are more unique dishes like mentaiko pasta (a fusion-type dish with cod roe), chazuke (dashi soup over rice). I was impressed by the inaiwa udon because it was so simple but so well done: al dente udon noodles with a light sauce for a subtle umami dimension.
  
  Other menu sections include sashimi (never had their fish but I would trust it),  salads, fried items, simmered items, stir-fried dishes, a handful of steaks (I know, the variety is almost ridiculous), and grilled items. I do think they do a good job with robatayaki because it's lightly charred but not burnt and is juicy and flavorful.
  
  For dessert, I've tried the ichigo shiratama ice. It's quite an epic take of shaved ice, piled high with chewy rice cakes, vanilla ice cream, red bean, and strawberry syrup. I've never had rice cakes in shaved ice before but thoroughly enjoyed it because the texture is reminiscent of boba but it is not inherently sweet. We shared this among 4 people.
  
  Other tips:
  - Prices are extremely reasonable, even if you order a feast of dishes
  - I suggest coming in a small group so you can try more dishes
  - Service is attentive and they were patient with us despite taking forever to order during our first visit
  - There's a decent-sized parking lot in a plaza
  - They take reservations
  
  I love how Tanto is so homey and down-to-earth, yet their technique and creativity are mind-blowing. I'm always pleasantly surprised by how generous the portions are--in my opinion, it's much better value and more comfortable than Gochi and Sumika.
  
  If I had to pick a place to eat for the rest of my life, Tanto would easily be a top contender.

• Kattz M.

  star star star star star_border 26 May 2026

  Been trying to avoid this restaurant because of its warm temperature in the dining area. Had dinner here at 9pm and there was zero wait. Was seated by the booth. Small restaurant with unique structural element.
  
  Gave it a fourth shot. I decided to order a unique dish, Unagi Yamaimo $11.50. Served in small stone pot. Grilled eel with grated yam, mushroom and poached egg turned slimy! This is out of this world concoction and my palate approved it! Paired it with Salmon Onigiri $6.50. Two jumbo pieces with garnished pickled mustard greens. Seaweed is not fresh. Complimentary cup of roasted green tea. Food here is way better than Dan Izakaya in San Jose.
  
  Service is good and pleasant two servers. Not bad for another visit. Limited parking space when it gets busy.

• Sylvia Y.

  star star star star_border star_border 19 May 2026

  Wanted to try a different Japanese restaurant for lunch so we decided to check out Tanto.
  
  They kept bringing the wrong dishes to our table. For example, my friend ordered an udon and they brought the wrong udon dish. My friend had already dipped her (used) chopsticks into the broth, when the server realized their mistake and took the udon away and directly to the correct customer! We tried flagging her down to explain but she didn't seem to pay attention.
  
  They also brought the completely wrong dish to me (a salmon set vs the unagi don that I ordered). I told the server right away that he better not be bringing any dish that someone else touched to me. When my unagi don finally came, the server knocked over my miso soup onto the table. Luckily I moved quickly so nothing got on me, but that was also pretty annoying.
  
  The food itself was actually tasty and the portions are hefty for a Japanese restaurant but the quality of service is really lacking and I'm not sure I want to be back again.

• Jenny C.

  star star star star star 19 May 2026

  I came late at night toward closing with my friends. We shared 4 dishes for 3 people mainly because the dishes tend to be smaller. We shared everything so we can try a variety and they were all so good! My favorite was the rice dish with a hidden goodie inside. The rice was crispy and delish. The noodles were surprisingly good and perhaps the biggest dish compared to everything else. The cod was very soft and tasty too.