Tenkomori Ramen House Regent Place — Restaurant in Sydney

Tenkomori offers an affordable yet satisfying dining experience, with cuisine that comfortably exceeds the expectations of the average Japanese food enthusiast.

The atmosphere at Tenkomori is undeniably captivating, drawing in passersby with its distinctive charm. The interior is adorned with traditional Japanese décor, including vivid paintings of iconic landmarks from major Japanese cities such as Osaka’s Dotonbori and Tokyo’s Shinjuku. This immersive aesthetic, combined with exceptionally affordable pricing, makes Tenkomori an enticing choice for casual diners and Japanese cuisine lovers alike.

Service at Tenkomori is impressively swift, with meals typically arriving within just five minutes of ordering. The staff operates with evident coordination and efficiency, effortlessly managing a high volume of customers without any disarray or order mix-ups. Their composure and professionalism are particularly admirable during peak hours, when the establishment is bustling with activity yet remains orderly and well-managed — a testament to their effective operational systems.

During our visit, my team and I sampled a Chicken Katsu Bowl, Miso Ramen, and a side of Fried Karaage Chicken. In terms of culinary quality, Tenkomori offers a dining experience that sits slightly above average. While there are undoubtedly superior Japanese restaurants in Sydney that deliver more refined flavors, Tenkomori compensates with well-executed staples and value for money. The Chicken Katsu Bowl was hearty and enjoyable, with perfectly seasoned rice and a generous serving of katsu. The karaage chicken stood out as a highlight — crispy, freshly fried, and served piping hot, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the meal.

However, the ramen was somewhat underwhelming. The broth lacked depth and seasoning, failing to elevate the dish, while the noodles were similarly bland. The katsu served in the ramen also lost its texture and flavor once submerged, detracting from the overall experience.

In conclusion, while Tenkomori may not deliver gourmet-level Japanese cuisine, its combination of reasonable pricing, efficient service, and inviting ambiance makes it a highly practical choice for frequent meals — particularly during busy workdays when convenience and speed are key.

FOOD-3/5 ATMOSPHERE-4/5 SERVICE-5/5 COST-5/5

TL;DR:

Tenkomori is a budget-friendly Japanese eatery with quick service, charming décor, and decent food. While some dishes like the ramen fall short, staples like the Chicken Katsu Bowl and Karaage Chicken deliver satisfying flavor for the price. A solid option for quick, casual and cheap...

We arrived at Tenkomori George Street/Regent Place after a movie at Events Cinemas, and my friend and I ordered and paid for the food at 8:54pm last night, 27 August 2024. (I checked my debit card payment time). If they were closing at 9pm, the cashier and the other lady should have told us that they close at 9pm or they only do take-aways. I would have totally understood. There were still about 5 other people eating in their dining area besides my friend and I. Then the guy whom I believe work in the kitchen suddenly started closing and putting chair on top of the tables. He was trying to hurriedly close the restaurant transparent enclosure/cover but it got stuck and he could not close it. After struggling for a few minutes, he called his guy workmate to help him. Then, without even looking sincerely eye to eye with us he just told us to move to the next table with a tiny seating and with chairs already placed on top, so they could use our table to stand on it and fix the enclosure from the top. He took my finished bowl of ramen and brought it to the kitchen without saying anything. His OTHER workmate apologised that we had to move. And it was around 9:15 and my friend is still halfway done with his large bowl of chicken karaage, and this same RUDE guy came out and again, without looking sincerely eye to eye he just told my friend to take away his unfinished food! Then he brought a container (without a takeaway spoon), and I was already trying to calm myself down. So I apologised to him and told him that I wish the cashier had informed us they were closing even the dining area very soon. WITHOUT LOOKING AT ME HE JUST RUDELY SAID “They should have told you but I don’t know why they didn’t.” I just calmly observed him, because I am a chef for over a decade and I did not want him to ruin my night. And I am very understanding of hospitality workers. But I won’t let his rudeness slide. If he talked to us sincerely first and had to apologise that they were already closing the entire dining area, and if it was okay for my friend to take away his unfinished food instead, then I would have responded in kindness. But that guy was downright rude and I just had to let it known to put a stop to this rudeness directed at the customers. If you want to close at exactly 9pm, DO NOT ACCEPT ORDERS FROM 8:30PM ONWARDS CONSIDERING THE CLEANING PROCESS. We did not even stay there for 30 minutes and we were treated like that! I will not blame all of them, but that ONE particular guy should not be working for...

Two stars for the fried food in the self-serve area, and the price if you want a cheap eat. It was a busy shop but i want to share my experience for those that wanted to queue up and try for the first time.

However everything else was a let down, especially if this is owned and operated by Japanese owners, because the food standard is just not very typical japanese.

The menu was broad, everything looked decent and there are many option to suit different taste buds, placed the order with a friendly staff and then we selected a few fried food and salad, then we moved on to the collection/cashier point. Cashier was impatient and rolled her eyes at one customer for not paying promptly, then food orders came out slow so i got stay in line to wait and watch how they made their Ramens. Person that made the ramen was not well trained with proper ramen skills, made ramens like robots , noodles are cooked and soaked in the soup for too long because no one is putting the toppings on. Three people had individually stirred random bowls of noodle one after another for no particular reason. The toppings were just thrown into the bowl in a last second rush to serve them.

Now , the taste. Noodle was soft with no flavour no texture, together with the soup it tasted very much like an instant noodle. I do not think the noodle was overcooked, was more like a poor quality of ingredient and a bad cooking skill. Soup flavour was plain, the Cha Siu had a strong meat odour which could mean a poor cooking process or meat being not fresh. The bamboo shoots and pickles etc were not helping either.

I'd say the price is 'reasonable', but i wouldnt used the word 'cheap' because for an even cheaper price in Japan the taste was still exceptional. Sydney has some good Japanese eateries and if you are willing to walk a few more minutes either towards World Square or QVB there are other options which will offer a better Ramen and Donburi experience, or the...