Tiger Den Reviews

My friend suggested we try Tiger Den for dinner and it did not disappoint. We got there around 5:00 pm and the place was packed already. The noodles were really good. Service was fast. Will come back for other noodle dishes in the future.

Enjoying authentic and delicious ramen close to home brings a smile to my face. There is always a line outside of Tiger Den filled with anxious patrons anticipating the delicious meal that awaits them. The food is well worth the wait! Smooth, creamy broth with delicious ramen, perfectly cooked egg, pork belly, and mushrooms satisfies your senses. The staff is friendly and always ready to assist. Try Tiger Den and I'm sure you'll walk away happy and full!

Small, cozy but trendy little restaurant. When we went it was dinner time and there was a line to get in. The ramen was worth it.

I've been wanting to try this Ramen place for months now. I'm always looking for a good Ramen place around Houston and the surrounding cities. My cousin and I decided to try it since we were hungry and in the area. I heard about the wait time before. So, you have to sign your name on the window outside. Then someone will come out and start calling your name and crossed it out once you go up and sit you. I think that was neat. They have wooden benches outside for you to wait. Once inside, its pretty cozy. The staff are wonderful and always paying attention to you even when they are busy. I was happy about that. Ordered our Ramen. I got the spicy Tantanmen...It was spicy the way I like it. It was really good. One of the best Ramen I tasted in the city. I'll definitely come back. The wait was totally worth it. Gotta tell my friends and drag them with me to try it. Hehehehe

the meal was exceptionally good, i had the miso ramen and i highly recommend that dish. it was prepared just right and the broth was the best ever. the environment was quiet and calm even though every table was taken. get there early if you do not want to experience a wait because this place is popular. great overall, and i would go there again.

This is a ramen place. This is always pack. When you go there, it's your turn to go in, you have a missing person in your group you will be bypass until all are present and ready to come in. I like the gizzard and beef on a stick. The food was nothing exceptional compared to other ramen place. It was filling.

We ate at Tiger Den yesterday- arrived around 6 pm and we were seated right away. The food was great- we ordered baby octopus for appetizer, it was cooked just right. We enjoyed our ramen soups as well as the pandan doughnuts for dessert. The service was good, staffs were very nice and prices are okay. We'll definitely come back.

I haven't found many ramen joints that really nail it, and Tiger Den certainly hits the mark. Went with a group of 4 on a weekend and had a 35+ minute wait. This place is very busy at peak hours, and is definitely not a secret. I would recommend an early arrival for any group larger than 2. There are 4 and 6 person booths, with one long community style table for 2's. Counter seating is an option as well (one that I really want to try next time). I will likely skip the gyoza next visit - nothing to write home about - but there will be a next visit nonetheless!

Good place for Ramen, but get there early to avoid a wait. Try the pork gyoza and Brussels sprout appetizers. Also squid entree.

Favorite and best ramen in Houston. The menu is small but delicious and the prices are low. I get the tonkotsu and my husband gets the spicy miso. The restaurant itself is pretty small and chances are you'll have to wait for a table on the weekends but you can also place an order to go. I am craving ramen just by writing this review.

The first impression was set before we even went inside the place. Show up on a busy night and you will see groups of people congregating outside of the door; you see a sign-up sheet with lists of names. Make sure to add your name to the list immediately! We went on one of those busy nights and signed up on the board after many large parties, but since we only had 2 people in our party our wait was surprisingly only about 40 minutes long. Our seats were in front of the kitchen, so I got to watch the kitchen staff at work. I like watching people cook, so no issues for me there. The waitress did forget about us for a little while, but eventually we got our orders in and received our bowls of ramen. I ordered the tantanmen and my wife went with the spicy miso. As my first introduction to ramen, Tiger Den really lit up my world! Melt in your mouth pork! Yummy marinated egg! Flavorful broth that you just can't stop drinking until it's all gone! I couldn't get enough of the stuff; I even drank most of my wife's broth! There were just so many wonderful flavors and textures all complementing each other. On top of that the prices were definitely reasonable! Anyhow, my experience at Tiger Den will always be remembered as that time that we first tried ramen and a great one at that.

Thanks Arnold for taking me to dinner at such a cool Resturant! Tip to locals, take out of area friends to hidden gems like this when they are in town. Well I didn't know what to get as I don't recall being at a Japanese noodle house. I've had Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino food lots of times but had missed this. First of all, you have to sign up on the wall and wait and there is no waiting inside, just outside. The place was packed and people didn't mind signing in and waiting. It was about a 20 minute wait for us, but that's because there was only two of us. We got sat at the long "community table" in the middle of the room. There was also single row of tables and booths around the perimeter of the room. It was funny and we met some new people. I had the Spicy Miso with pork belly, freshly made noodles, veggies and greens. Arnold had the Original. We also had the ribeye bites and teriyaki calamari. The squid was pretty big and there was no gentle disguising what it was, complete with tentacles! The staff were nice but not really engaging, however that may have been more because it was really busy, and there was a ton of people still waiting to be seated. The food was served hot, however we got our soups about 10 minutes before we got our appetizers. I'd say if you like really good food with a funky vibe and can appreciate that everyone else is trying to be patient too, then you'll love it!

My only complaint is that Tiger Den is too small. Often you must wait.... but it's worth it. My favorite thing about it is the small plates that we get prior to our ramen, many items from their grill. These included baby octopus, eggplant, & mushrooms. The ramen was good too, and at $8-$9 per bowl priced very reasonably.

This place has authentic, delicious, amazing Japanese food. My favorite spicy miso. Great family place, quick service, trending spot. Also great for groups of friends. Friendly staff.

Been here twice. I ordered the spicy miso ramen and some appetizers: ox tongue, chicken skin, spicy cucumber, and pork belly. They are all good except the pork belly is too salty for my taste.. The ramen itself is pretty good. The broth is bold and thick with good amount of noodle and toppings. Come early since it can get packed quickly and the wait can be dauntingly long.

First time here - loved the spicy ramen soup. The grilled skewers were tasty, and the service good. Reasonably priced, popular spot. The one thing that would have been better was being seated at an adequate table. Five of us were squished into a booth that clearly would be comfortable for no more than 4, but that's where they seated us, and it was cold outdoors, so we opted to not ask to wait longer. It's not enjoyable to shift elbows and lean back and forth so you can take turns eating. An otherwise great experience.

Having tried all the other places, keep coming back to Tiger Den. The service is consistently good, their food always fresh and high quality, and their ramen the most flavorful of any other in Houston. Having lived in NYC for 5 years and tried many of the great ramen establishments there, this one holds its own with those big boys.

The food is great, especially the ramen. Fresh noodles, silky smooth broth. Delicious. There is almost always a wait, but they move through the list pretty quickly. Friendly service! Park in the garage.

The ramen and broth at Tiger Den were highly recommended by a friend of my son. This restaurant appeared to be the most popular in China Town at this time, with at least 25 people waiting outside when we arrived at 7:30 pm. We were told to put our name down on the booking list taped to the restaurant front window and that the wait would be 40 minutes. We wandered around the nearby supermarket and shops for the next 35 minutes, came back and got our table. Our server was friendly and efficient. Our food also came quickly after ordering. We started the Gyoza, Rib Eye Yakitori and also the Chicken Yakitori. All these were good, but not outstanding- my wife decided the Rib Eye was too rare- (quite red in color)for her taste. She ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen, whilst my son and I ordered Tonkatzu Ramen. When the Ramen arrived, she then had to complain to the server that her Ramen had just one slice of pork, and we had two slices in the Tonkatzu Ramen. Our server soon brought her a slice of pork on a little dish. We agreed that the noodles were very good in texture. The almost creamy broth was nice, perhaps more Chinese in flavour than Japanese. The slices of pork were also good, but have more fat than we are used to. We finished our dinner in under an hour and the restaurant also appeared to be less busy by then.

Love the ramen. Bar bites are pretty good, too. The garlic black bean ramen is full of flavor, the egg cooked to perfection and the soft pork almost melts in your mouth. According to the owner, each batch oft broth is cooked for 30 hours, and you can taste the difference!

Didn't mind waiting almost a half an hour for these noodles. Not your typical store bought top ramen. They make their noodles in house. Sooooo good. You gotta try the baby octopus too! Oh, and the owner is a riot! Will definitely be coming back.

This restaurant looks rather like a karaoke club from the outside because there are no windows, and it's a bit dark inside. We had the spicy miso ramen and the black bean and garlic ramen. Both were good. If you ever have a craving for a piping hot bowl of ramen, this will hit the spot. Their business is brisk, so if you don't want to have to wait too long for a table, it's best to go a bit earlier or later for dinner. Didn't have dry mouth syndrome after the meal, so that probably means they didn't overdo the MSG, which is good.

At first I didn't think much of the place, but when I tasted their appetizers I though wow, how can you make chicken gizzards and hearts y taste so good, then came the Ramen, fresh vegetables and rice noodles and heaven knows what else these guys put in it but oh my gosh it was great, totally recommend it.

I had the Shoyu, and it was amazing. My sister had the Miso and she thought it was good, but tasted my ramen and loved it. I made the right choice with the Shoyu. Service was very nice and fast. I’ll definitely be back! Loved it!!!

This is definitely a must try. It's got great food, decent service, and it has a free parking lot. Tiger Den is a ramen bar that serves primarily ramen. They have many different types, and appetizers are plentiful. They cater to a younger, hip, generation. You walk in, lighting is dim, like an Izakaya, and music is loud, and the volume of the place is also loud from many people talking. We came here with another family. Wife and I ordered a spicy miso. For whatever reason, we did it, normally we order something different to try out. Like other ramen bars, we get to choose to add on other goodies. There is a plus side to this place, the price of the goodies didn't inflate the price of the ramen too much. @ Jinya, your bowl can get pretty hefty. Spicy miso, is a plus. A lot of flavor, pork is good, and egg was cooked well. We also ordered fied octopus; they were so good that we ordered two. We also ordered the dipping noodles to share. That is a huge recommendation. You should definitely order this when coming here. It is a bit on the spicy side for some, but it has great flavor. Service, unlike the food was a bit on the lackluster side. Needed water water multiple times and they seemed to forget that. We also had two children with us, and they don't know how to serve around them. They placed the hot bowl of ramen right in front of them. Overall, the food for the price is great. Service is a bit on the poor side. PS, the wait is a bit long. Roughly 45 min.

good place to hang around friend as well as family while enjoy the best ramen! had to wait to seat but it worth! great service. will come back for sure.

Excellent tasting food, reminded me of the Ramen noodles i had when i was in Japan. We went about 8 pm, and had to wait. They seated us at a long table, sitting very close to people we didn't know on our left & right. They should get a bigger place or create more 'private' tables. The bruzzle sprouts were out of this world - don't miss.

We did appetizer/tapas dinner. Brussels Sprouts, chicken skewer, ribeye skewer, mushrooms, potstickers all super yummy. Eggplant tasted good but was a little soggy for me. It’s a small place but kitchen is kind of open so you can see them cooking with fire and stuff. If you want something new and interesting you could try it.

THIS PLACE IS A DUMP. EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK. Went there yesterday and had 4 kids with us. we were a party of 8 and one of the people was parking and Tien was extremely rude and refused to seat us and preferred to make us wait in the sun. spoke to andy (supposedly the manager) and he was worse. finally, when they seated us I NOTICED A RAT and decided to leave. This place is overrated but neither the service or cleanliness is much to rave about. Lots of better and clean Ramen places around. I WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IS IN MY FOOD. We left never to return and enjoyed a nice and clean meal at another restaurant. Will be reporting them to the health department and local tv stations.

We went for Ramen as friend recommended! Ramen and appetizers have good favors and good service. It’s very efficient and our food come very quickly. The only thing is it’s hard to relax and enjoy when feeling rushed the server come to check on our table often.

Went to the Tiger Den because it is supposed to be really great. My friend got a ramen dish which was okay but not overly impressive. I had fried dumplings which were really good. I also had ribeye skewers which were cooked just right. The meat was cooked as ordered and not precooked. It was a good quality of beef. There was a line outside. We were seated fairly quickly but our choices were two stools at a counter facing the corner or wedged in at a common table next complete strangers. Food was okay to good. Atmosphere did not provide for an enjoyable dining experience.

Excellent choice of items. The menu is small but packs a flavor in every dish ! WE enjoyed it... but we it does require a cultured taste to enjoy. Some may find this very exotic... Enjoyed the Japanese beer offerings ! :-)

Located in a large shopping center with many restaurants, the blacked out windows and heavy wooden door are not necessarily inviting. When we opened the door a young girl was standing right inside and instructed us to put our names on the waiting list. We then watched a steady stream of people show up, put their names on the list, and go inside. For a moment we thought we had been forgotten, but we were only 2 and the rest were 3 or more. When we went inside it all made sense. The room is small, with booths on the sides and a long table down the middle. Community seating! We had the fried gyoza, garlic black bean and the tantan-men soup, and the donuts for dessert. Both soup dishes were packed with flavor. I order extra chasu (roast pork) and it turned out to be a great decision. The pork is amazing and really made both soup dishes. The donuts were a real treat - tiny little dough pillows with green tea ice cream to dip them in. Delicious! The service was fast and friendly. The prices were better than reasonable. I am looking forward to bringing my friends here.

Food was great I had the spicy miso ramen hit the spot for me. Waiter was nice refilled my drinks when I needed it. Also had the cucumbers, chicken skin, octopus, and squid as for appetizers all tasted good. Will be back for more for sure came in on a Wed night walk straight to my table no waiting tonite.

Excellent appetizers and soups very different from all the rest this one definitely stands out. The prices are also very inexpensive . I highly recommend this restaurant

Came here again on a double date. Ordered a bunch of appetizers. Most memorable were the Squid and octopus. Then wife ordered the dry dipping noodle, which is one of our favorites here. I had the spicy miso ramen with a few add-ons. Wait wasn't too long. We also got the puff pastry as the dessert. Which is a must. Will definitely come back again. One of the few places we like.

This was the best Ramen I've ever had! Eating this Hakata noodle in Pork-bone broth (Tonkotsu) was Mind-blowing. Good thing they offer extra bowls of noodles for $2.50. The broth was so thick and good that I wanted more Ramen to soak it in. The Ramen was fresh, homemade, and good quality (the texture was just right--not soft, but not firm either). It stayed kind of a chewy/crunchy despite sitting in hot broth. For vegetarians, they offer a soy-broth vegetable dish. The eggplant and calamari appetizer we had was good. The room was packed and a little too dark for me to read the menu, but despite the popularity, the wait was not bad (a couple of minutes after we signed up our group size of 6 and name on the door at 7pm on a Thursday night) and the service was fast and excellent.

Ok place not too oily but average overall. I'd never go back myself (i went there with friends). Difficult to have lean protein and busy just not special. Staff is awesome though.

The place opens at 5pm so you can never go here for lunch breaks. They open at 5 and closes at midnight. The ramen's soup was too oily. No beef here only pork. Since i do not eat pork will not come back here again.

When you go to Tiger Den, you go there not only for the food, but for the sensory treat. The enclosed space and shared tables add to the atmosphere of the relatively small place. The music is always interesting-- whether it be Nujabes, underground soul, or eclectic, it fits. The food is tasty. The pork jowl and the spicy cucumber are absolutely delicious. Their take on Brussels sprouts is beyond mouth-watering. The octopus was cooked to perfection. The ramen was good. Houston does not have good ramen. Ninja, Jinya, Ramen Jin are all average at best. Tiger Den still boasts the best bowl in my opinion, but there is some--not much,but some, to be desired.

Having the opportunity to h be ramen in Japan (Afuri in Harajuku!). The ramen at Tiger Den is by far the closes you can get to authentic ramen in Houston. A must try with a friendly staff!

Get there early so you can get a table when they open. Order everything. Don't be shy. It's all good!

I went with a group so we had an array of yakitori and then each had Ramen. We got the Beef tongue based on a review I had seen and it was the best of the yakitori, sliced thin, tender, juicy. The pork belly was chewy and meaty, flavorful but not very fatty. We got the chicken hearts and the squid as well which were tasty but the teriyaki sauce tasted a bit burnt. The Ramen on the other hand was all fantastic. The Tonkatsu broth is balanced sweetness/salty/creamy. I had the spicy miso which has a bite is not overwhelming, and I downed the whole bowl including the broth in about 10 minutes. The noodles were a little firmer than al dente and are thin, but held the broth flavor well. Prices were good and the service was fast.

I come from Denmark and visit some friends in Houston about once every year. The first time I was here was a few years back, as I wanted to try all kinds of foods we don't have any or very little of in Denmark. Tiger Den BLEW ME AWAY. Their Tonkotsu ramen is AMAZING and I feel in love immediately!! Even trying to make ramen of my own back home, but with no luck at all. Tiger Den is now a MUST for me whenever I visit! I order the Tonkotsu ramen each time, as it's just so delicious!! The broth is so rich in taste and creamy, the eggs are perfect, the slices of chashu are so delicious and I am always so sad when the meal is over and I just have to order some ramen to go as well. We have tried the takoyaki entrees a couple of times too and they're simply divine as well! I can't find any place here in my country that got ramen that is even close to compare to Tiger Den! If I had to say one negative thing, it's the fact that you can't call and get a reservation beforehand. You need to come there physically and write your name on the list and then wait outside. The longest wait for us has been 30 minutes, so it's not awful, but still kind of bothersome. All worth it in the end though!

With all these rave reviews and wait times of 30 mins or longer, the hype just did not meet expectations. I was seriously thinking "This must be some good noodles." but it was not. And here I am comparing it with Austin's 2 other famous ramen joints. Even the basic seaweed ingredient was missing. It was replaced with another chinese vegetable. Seaweed is readily available in Houston, so no excuse. The egg yolk was harder than what it should typically be. Flavor was also not strong. I tried their teriyaki squid (calamari) and beef. Neither had the flavor that usually comes with marinated meats. Saving grace? The cost of a bowl of ramen was very competitive (less than $10) compared to what I am used to paying. They only serve dinner from 5pm. So lunch folks, go look somewhere else. Also, the place was really small, so a queue can easily form in no time. A pretty ingenious idea of putting your name on the reserve list outside the restaurant sets the waiting expectations.

Our first visit to Tiger Den was on the recommendation of friends--we were not disappointed. We sampled a variety of starters and main course items. Everything was delicious. The dipping noodles were spicy, but excellent. Order extra noodles and mushrooms to savor the dipping sauce longer. Also enjoyed the Brussel sprouts, rib-eye skewer, grilled squid, and mutton skewer. Don't be turned off by the number of people waiting in front of the restaurant. The kitchen moves fast as does the line. There is a reason this is the only restaurant in the center that has a crowd in front--it is that good. So, why not 5-stars? It is noisy. Two to four guests can have a conversation, but a larger group would struggle to hear each other.

Its great ramin for sure. Great service. Great selection ... not to many things to choose from which tells me its really a Ramin place. Lots of people and long waits but it goes fast and its worth it in the end. Also they are open late and a good place to get some food in you to absorb the excess alcohol :-)

The place is nice, really hip and nice atmosphere, service is ok and the ramen is average. Not the best I’ve tried but not the worst, noodles were on their point, the broth of tonkotsu needed more intensity, felt it bland, although the spicy miso had a nice kick. Averall needs to improve but like I said its not bad at all.

This restaurant is situated in a large, clean and safe Chinese strip mall in Chinatown. Surrounds encompass groceries and spas and ice cream shops amongst others. The procedure to get in is somewhat different to other restaurants with a priority list and is easy to miss. There is a list on the notice board outside the restaurant and you arr required to enter the info on that list yourself. Simply asks for your name and number in your party. A member if staff then comes out and calls the next name on the list. The option of choosing your ingredients for your bowl of ramen is welcomed. This place is however more than just ramen. There are dumplins and skewers and of course the pandan donuts for dessert. One only understands the hype about these when you try it. The custard dipping sauce is the best. Service is quick and efficient. The ambiance is as with all good ramen places noisy and full of people but extremely comfortable. Reasonably priced and worth the journey.

I got there at 4:40 and there was a sign in sheet on the window with people waiting for the 5 o'clock opening. Because the party of 10 weren't all there we got to sit right away. The place is very small and dim lighting. Has the vibe of a cool little place in New York. We for the Brussel sprouts and spicy cucumber to start, amazing!!! Then we each got a ramen bowl and finished it off with their "donuts" that come fresh and hot with a custard dipping sauce. The entire meal was amazing and the staff was great. It was definitely worth the drive.

First time visiting China Town in Houston we wanted a different type of restaurant. The service was okay, but the food was great! The Spicy Miso was great!

Finally braved the lines and tried this place. It is worth the hassle. Expect a line - sign up sheet posted on the window. It moves pretty quick - we waited 45 minutes on a busy Friday night at 7:00. Tried several skewers - chicken skin, pork jowl, and octopus and loved them all. They are small so feel free to try a bunch. The ramen is the main attraction and its only $8! The spicy miso ramen was just soulful! The silky porky broth was outstanding and the fresh noodles were great. This is a fun trip to Asia town - do it!

Awesome dishes! Great service! They are great for birthdays... wonderful about holding the cake until it was time for celebrating.

The appetizers, ramen, and desserts are amazing. You may have to wait for a table, but once seated, the waitstaff moves efficiently to take your order and bring you your meal. Always love chatting with one of the owners during our visits and have enjoyed sitting at the high top table looking into the kitchen.

Who knew that this area was so Chinese! I felt like I was in Chinatown with all the restaurants, foot massage places and stores all lit up in brightly colored neon. Tiger Den showed up on a search for Houston's best ramen so I had to try it. While not on the same sublime level as Momofuko in NYC, it was very good. The octopus balls appetizer was interesting but not a favorite: too much dough and not enough octopus. The pork belly though was amazing. I had the spicy black bean ramen option and while it was OK, the dipping noodle soup ordered by one of my dining partners was far superior in taste and texture. Lineups on a weeknight, be prepared to wait about 10-15 minutes.

Service: not bad, not great. Ramen, well the broth was bland, meat flavorless, eggs not ajitsuke, ramen noodles very good, perfect. Ordered Tonkotsu and Spicy Miso. Both were almost the same except the spicy factor. Prices are good. I tried many ramen in Osaka and Tokyo, and something is missing here, besides ramen was warm and this is a plate that must be served VERY HOT.