Tanto is a cozy izakaya with an extensive menu of Japanese dishes less common in the Bay Area - perfect for groups who want to share and explore. Beyond the food, our waiter provided excellent service, carefully verifying which dishes could accommodate a fish and crustacean allergy despite the menu's complexity. Ankimo was the gentlest introduction to organ meat I've experienced. Served with lemon, spring onions, shiso leaf, ponzu, and grated daikon, it's clear the intention was to offset any metallic or earthy notes from the liver, even though it was actually quite delicate. The hotaruika, marinated firefly squid, was soft in the spoon but had a satisfying bounce when biting through the skin, with the tentacles, body, and head of the squid having their own unique crunch. It’s a little too briny on its own for me but worked well with the mild, sweet kyabetsu cabbage salad. The buta kakuni braised pork belly (ordered as a rice bowl) was a comforting dish with seasoning on the milder side. The tori karaage fried chicken came out hot and crispy and the larger pieces of chicken kept the flesh juicy. This one is best enjoyed right away as unfortunately the skin became less crispy towards the end of the night, and became a little too oily. The renkon kinpira, with its unassuming description “thin sliced lotus root” was one of the highlights of the evening for me. Much more than that, it consists of two slices of lotus root with a mayo crab filling, all deep-fried. I did think that if the lotus root was sliced to half as thin, ie ~3mm instead of ~6mm, that would balance out the flavors a little more. With all the fried and salty dishes we had on the table the kyabetsu cabbage salad with mayo miso dressing on the side was a refreshing palate cleanser. I did think more sliced tomatoes and less cabbage would have made the dish a little more refreshing and varied. I also thought the cabbage leaves could have been cleanly separated instead of remaining in wedges. Next to arrive was the preserved plum yaki onigiri fried rice cake, with ikura salmon roe and green onions on the side. I found the crust to be really crispy but it had a little too much salt, with the plum and the ikura already providing lots of flavor. The garlic beef was the saltiest dish of all. This needed to be paired with a rice dish like the chazuke or the buta kakuni. We all agreed the kamo tataki seared rare duck was the best dish of the night. All five basic tastes were represented along with multiple textures. There was slight smoky char leaving a touch of bitterness, soft and tender duck with the perfect amount of chew and give, crunchy sweet red onion, and lightly acidic dressing. All the flavors - sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami - were in balance, there were both crunchy and soft textures, and the plating was attractive. Definitely order this one. The unagi chazuke was a no-frills dish. Rice, light dashi broth, and eel - it tasted like a light home-cooked meal with simple and clean flavors. Last up was the shingen vanilla ice cream with rice cakes and kinako soy bean powder. The serving size was generous! However I think the presentation has room for improvement. I think a layer of whipped cream at the bottom would have elevated the dessert literally and figuratively. It would also have helped insulate the ice cream a little so that it doesn’t melt as quickly especially since a large portion like this may take longer to finish. Next I would add the brown sugar syrup on the whipped cream instead of the ice cream, again to prevent premature melting. The ice cream should get scooped on top of the syrup next. Kinako can then be dusted on top next through a sieve to remove clumps. Finally I would arrange the rice cakes in a row along the side so that attention is drawn to them. Tanto stands out for it’s wide variety of unique dishes but some of the ones we ordered were on the salty side. It’s a fun place for a group and I recommend the renkon kinpara deep-fried lotus root and kamo tataki seared rare duck in particular.

Audrey Duong Ta

We just moved back to the area and glad to see that Tanto’s still doing good and now serving LUNCH even! Went for lunch today and the food and service was excellent. The food was fresh and you can tell everything was made with intention. I like that Tanto gives classic Japanese food vibes and it feels like you’re transported to Japan for a nice comfort meal. Can’t wait to try more items on their menu.

Ken A.

All I can say is, this is authentic Japanese cuisine that you typically find in the alleyways of Tokyo.

+2

Jaime Felix

I went to try the new lunch menu at Tanto Izakaya in Sunnyvale that started last week. I’m a huge fan of Tanto and their authentic Japanese menu, so when I saw they had new lunch set meals, I just had to go right away. I tried the Bara chirashi set meal for $33 and while it seems pricy, it is worth the price due to the huge portions and I left feeling very full. Times have changed, this is the economy we are in for prices. Portion wise, I think it’s even enough to share. Come hungry! The presentation is like a chirashi bowl I had in Hokkaido earlier this year. If you love Japanese food, I highly recommend a try. Service is quite fast. I was the first customer at opening. They have been around 25 years, so the vibe is always good and nostalgic.

Keith Tan

Excellent Japanese Food! Would come again.

+9

Henry Chung

This place is the most good place to enjoy the real japanese izakaya food and drinking. However, you need to check the availability of empty seat so advanced reservation will be mandatory.

Lauren Hines

The food here is incredible! Portions are large, I way over ordered but was happy to eat leftover steak, mentai pasta and crab and egg for lunch the next day. The garlic steak is a sleeper - highly recommend. Got there on a Thursday around 630pm, put my name on a list, and waited outside for about 15 minutes.

Tomoko Sugiyama

The biggest difference compared to izakayas in Japan? Last call is at 8:30 PM -- way too early! Most izakayas in Japan stay open until midnight or later, so this felt a bit rushed. That said, overall it was a solid experience, and the bill was lower than I expected for the amount and quality of food. I'll definitely be back -- just a bit earlier next time!

+2

Kailiang Huang

Authentic Japanese food with some unique selection of sake. Sushi, sashimi, rolls, fried, pot, pan fried, you have all the options to pick from. The portion is on the small side. It is ideal to have 4 people so that you could share the varieties of food. Restaurant is small, so it is a crowded. Do make reservations ahead of time, the restaurant is a pretty popular spot.

+10

Rui Yin

Gyu tan (grilled beef tongue) is soooo good. Anything eel related is amazing. Yaki Onigiri also really good. I would highly recommend reserve ahead of time to avoid waiting. This place is really popular and there’s likely a long wait if you show up without reservation. I used google to reserve and google assistant called to book for me. The booking was really easy to do.

+2