Tatsu Izakaya — Restaurant in Denver

Had noticed this place weeks ago and decided to try it with my kids. The décor is open and classy with eclectic flair. Three huge-screen TVs though overwhelm the senses a bit; you can imagine how it affected dynamics at our table, ha. Would be a nice place to enjoy a sporting event for sure.

Service was attentive and good, though for sure a bit of a language barrier, easily overcome. The place is clearly a favorite among some element of Asianity (Chinese, Thai too?), enhancing its authenticity.

Like shown in the pictures, the food is given an excellent presentation. I tried the crab-cheese wontons and beef lo-mein and chicken teriyaki. The taste was good with lots of fresh vegetables cooked right. Of the three, I would rate only the won-tons as extra good taste-wise, but all was more than acceptable. The kids gobbled up the very appetizing sesame chicken before I had a chance to try it! Free soft-drink refills helped make their experience fine.

The money-saving specials they show on the placard shown outside the door apply only to dinnertime, unfortunately not lunches like ours. I find fault there because the placard beckons passers-by in without conveying the dinnertime qualification.

Overall though, a happy exerience....

It's one of my favorite ramen restaurants, which says a lot. I've been to as many ramen restaurants as I can. For me, the noodles are pepper spicy tasting. I liked it at first, but it does get tiring to the tongue. Which was unexpected because I love spicy food that others often find too spicy. Also, the noodles had a firmness to them that lasted even though I ate my bowl slowly that day. Not as firm as I would have liked, but I am splitting hairs. The vegetarian broth is savory and not creamy. There was also a variety of vegetables and mushrooms that were not in other bowels.

The vegetable gyoza is great and unique. They cook it on a thin batter. I suppose it's like a crepe. It gives it a crunchy bottom without the pan browning it as dark as the traditional method. The top is then spaghetti/lasagna noodle soft. Different from the typical that has a firmer top and browned caramelized flavor bottom. I liked it. It's not better than but different than the traditional. Like, I could go back and forth and get variety.

They also have boba snow, which is a sweet dessert as well. The boba wasn't overcooked, and there was plenty of...

Friday night at 6...before DU hockey game. Super crowded. Took 10 min to get seated, we were first in line. Only because there was not a Host sitting guests, greeting guests or bussing tables. There were 3 waiters, working like crazy. No bussers. There were a few empty dirty tables, unable to seat guests. Too busy. We sat and ordered. Waited 40 min for food that never came. Table next to us, waited for at least 45 minutes. No food arriving at their table either. One sushi chef. One. He was busy. Working slow. As food was served to others...it looked good. But who knows? We didnt get to try. What we did observe was a woman (possibly the host) working to prep several orders going out the door for pickup/takeout. Maybe they should concentrate more on the guests that are actually sitting at the tables in the restaurant, instead of the take out orders? Just a thought. We finally got up and left. Poorly ran restaurant. Tacky cluttered stereotyped cheap Asian decor. Not...