Goma Tei Ramen

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to write a review about Goma Tei — Ala Moana. It’s very conveniently located in Ala Moana Center near the Makai Food Court slightly up toward the GNC store. Because it’s in the shopping center, there is a lot of free parking.
Service is generally quite quick and efficient in this often busy restaurant. During peak hours, there is a sign in sheet at the door for you to jot down your name and number in your group. Don’t worry, they’ll call you as soon as seating is available. However, most times, you can just walk in and be seated right away.
We started with an order of pan fried gyoza (potstickers) which were plump, juicy and nicely crisped on the bottom. A couple of splashes of rice vinegar and chilie oil enhanced the flavors. The order of 5 potstickers were just enough to get our appetites revved up.
Our orders for spicy tan tan ramen arrived… my bowl was filled with perfectly cooked ramen (not too soft or undercooked) and the broth had just enough kick in it without being overly spiced. I had asked for wakame (undaria pinnatifida or edible sea vegetable) as my topping and boy, oh boy. did I receive wakame (see pic)! My husband requested the char siu topping for his tan tan ramen. The char siu was tender and certainly wasn’t a skimpy skinny slice. The slice looked to be at least ¼″ thick and made for a flavorful match to the spicy broth. Both of our deep bowls of tan tan ramen were tasty and satisfying.
The prices are reasonable for the quantity and quality of ramen. For about $ 11 you’ll find yourself pleasantly full and comforted by their steamy bowls of ramen.

Best Tan Tan (spicy) ramen. I also like their chicken ban ban: shredded cucumber salad w/​thin slices of chicken breast topped w/​a sesame dressing.
They also have a happy hour & serve cold draft beer in frosted mugs.
Ala Moana location may have a slight wait for tables, but their counter is always open. The Ward location is smaller & may have a little wait, but it’s cozier. I’ve never had to wait @ Pearl Ridge since it’s the largest of all their locations.

Service was ok, but they do bring the food out pretty quick. Seafood Tan Tan Ramen the broth and noodles
was delicious the seafood part was ok. I would definitely recommend it

— Although I may have not checked into this place that often, my boyfriend and I come here VERY VERY often. When he first introduced me to Goma Tei, we would come about every other week. After a few months, we decided to limit our Goma Tei visits to once a month! Haha.
— The tan tan and gyoza here are AMAZING! I cannot recommend it enough! The tan tan is so full of flavor, such a good value, good heat, option to make noodles extra firm, or broth extra spicy. The gyoza is packed to the max. nice and crispy on the outside and juicy flavor inside. I get the wakame tan tan that comes with seaweed and half a hardboiled egg (I wish it was soft boiled). My boyfriend gets the regular tan tan that comes with some vegetables and a piece of char siu.
— The service is always very fast and I can eat here during my 1 hour lunch break which is so awesome! The gyoza takes a little longer to come out than the tan tan, so make sure to order it first. Another good recommendation would be the chicken karaage.
— Love this place and will continue to come here once a month. The Ala moana and Ward location are both great!

This is a solid place to eat in ala moana, the atmosphere is a little noisy and a good place to bring the family, hence the little children screaming. Truth be told I thought this place was better the last time I came here. I got the #3 Wakame tan tan ramen, it came out really fast as well as the the rest of the party’s food, my noodles were a bit over cooked and mushy so I did not like the texture, the broth was very flavorful had strong sesame flavor as described in the menu, but it was too strong and after the first few bites I got sick of it.
I will be coming back to try the shoyu ramen and they have a good mapo tofu if you are feeling a rice dish.

Vegetable Cold Noodle is very good, and consistent at all locations.
Yes, I have been to them all. :)

I will not be going back to this restaurant ever again. After the way they treated me. I was so tired after sitting in the bus in traffic. The minute I wanted to be seated I told the guy I wanted to sit down on the tables and not by the bar. He then told me I had to be seated with my party I said my sister is coming. Plus I didn’t want to be seated by the bar. He didn’t seem to understand me so he sent in his co worker who also didn’t understand a lick of English as well…:(
It was 4:30−5 pm Friday about 6 people inside I didn’t see any thing wrong with me sitting down to wait for my sister to come and eat with me instead… Then the second guy brings the third guy over like making this a huge deal for me to sit down… It was NOT mad packed at this rate… Here I am like this is crazy… I ask for the manager and the manager has no balls whatsoever to talk to me with no customer service: at this rate I am feeling vertigo, exhaustion, and nausea and loss of appetite.
I will no longer will give my business to these guys. For the longest time I always came here with my mum. But not anymore. I much rather settle a ramen place when the new SHIROKIYA opens up. This is insane. Shame on these people for shitty customer service. Just because I look like shit and I look like a hobo doesn’t mean you treat one person like one. I wouldn’t even give you one star period!
How could I forget to pronounce your customers to enter your place of business … It is .“
Ira shai masei” NOT «irat shitmay say…» Damn people…
Hontoni gakkari!
— huge disappointment !

It just occurred to me, that I’ve never written a review about Goma Tei Ramen before. I don’t know why, since I really like it here.
If you’re not big on ramen, don’t worry, because they have other things on the menu such as curry, mapo tofu, rice bowls, and of course, side dishes. For me however, I seem to always gravitate back to eating the char siu tan tan ramen. The broth has a nice nutty richness to it, and the pork slices are thick and hearty.
The dining area is relatively large because they have both tables and counter seating, but like most businesses, it does get busy during peak hours, so don’t overlook getting yourself signed in if needed.
Goma Tei Ramen is located on the lower level Makai (ocean) side of the Ala Moana Center.

For portion and taste, this was really excellent — a cut above your basic ramen shop in terms of quality and atmosphere. We had the curry loco moco (with a pork patty), the chicken tan-​tan (mildly spicy sesame base) ramen, and shredded pork and szechuan pickle sunho (spicy, slightly sour base) ramen. All three were tasty and abundant. Prices were a little higher than the basic ramen shop, but worth it.
Possible downside: We slept hard afterward, and had that «was there MSG in the food?» experience. Having only been once, I can’t say for sure, but it took my review down a star from my originally intended 5.
Service was good. Parking is free in the Ala Moana parking structure.

Good place to cure your cravings for noodles. Lots of seats at the counter or tables.
We shared a bowl of Sunho Ramen and Ban Ban Ji Chicken. We enjoyed the Sunho Ramen with its spicy and sour vinegar broth. It’s definitely an unusual ramen broth and may not be for everybody. The pork in the ramen was super tender and flavorful. The Ba Ba Ji Chicken consisted of sliced chicken breast simmered in a broth of sake, scallions, garlic then chilled. Served on a bed of sliced cucumbers and drizzled with a citrus sesame sauce. Excellent light healthy dish.
Good friendly efficient service. Incredibly convenient location just outside of the food court at Ala Moana Mall.
Happy Eating !

Greeted with «Hi, anywhere okay!»
The charsu ramen bowl is my sigfigs usual order while I tend to get something on the side. I usually teeter between their chicken bowls with a sweet teriyaki sauce or their katsu curry — you can’t go wrong either way
I often worry about saltiness whenever I go to ramen shops but this place is definitely a hit! They also cater to those who aren’t feeling ramen.
Service is quick & waiters are very attentive — what else could I ask for?

Goma Tei is one of my favorite places to get ramen! Surprisingly when I went this past weekend, there was no line and we were seated immediately! My favorite is the Tonkatsu Tan Tan ramen with the Tonkatsu on the side (I don’t like Tonkatsu soggy from the broth!). The tan tan ramen has a slight spice/​kick to it which is nice.
I’ve been here so many times that I know how to successfully use their rather large and unconventional spoons! If you’ve been there, you know what I mean lol. Service is great and speedy here and a great place to grab lunch or dinner!

YESSSSSSSSS. DELICIOUS RAMEN!!!
A friend recommended this place and to specifically get their tan tan men. It’s located on the first floor facing the parking garage at the Ala Moana shopping mall.
Inside is super modern and nicely decorated, and the staff was great.
Bf and I both ordered their tan tan men– served with char siu and veggies $ 9.30
–Awesome flavors that don’t disappoint. Loved the hint of spiciness, and it was just perfection. The broth was thick, the noodles were chewy, and the char siu was a good amount. Soft and fell apart easily as you bite into it. If they ever open one in LA. I’ll be their first customer!
Tatsutaage– Pieces of chicken marinated in ginger, garlic, and fruits. Fried and served with tonkatsu sauce $ 7.99
–This is the first time I’ve heard of tatsutaage. I asked if it’s like karaage, and I guess the only difference is the flour that’s used. It was good. but I would prefer karaage. The tatsuaage wasn’t as crispy or crunchy. but the chicken was definitely moist. Sadly they didn’t have kewpie to dip into T. T
Overall, a super tasty ramen joint!

Visiting Hawaii and dropped by to try out the ramen. Ordered two Tan Tans, one was the regular (#1) a shredded pork and pickled veggie Tan Tan.
First off the broth is fantastic, you can tell it’s not jam packed with msg, salt and other stuff but really comes down to a long stewed meat broth. The sesame and peanuts add to the broth the smooth, rich and aromatic taste. Really nice and enjoyable. The noodles were great too, cooked al dente and not clumped together.
The biggest disappointment was the meat, which is why this review gets only 3 stars otherwise I’d put it at a 4. Meats in both ramens were dry, chewy and tastless. After a few bites both my sister and I just didn’t eat it anymore.
Another suprise is that the egg that came with the ramen was hard boiled, not soft boiled. I don’t know if this is common practice here in Hawaii but was expecting a soft boiled one. So remember to specify how you want your egg.
Another thing to mention is that we ordered the wings which were really small in portion but almost cost the same as a whole bowl of ramen. Would skip next time as they were nothing special and pricy!
Protip: make sure you specify what kind of egg you want as the default is hardboiled.

Still one of the best ramen shops in Honolulu and the tantan is a must every time. A hot bowl of tantan and an ice cold Kirin, please!
At under $ 10 a bowl, it comes with the fattest slice of charsui ever and choy sum. Add a shoyu egg for only $ 1 each! There’s the option of tantan with charsui, which gives you 3 slices of fatty porky goodness. It’s a bit much for me, but if you’re a carnivorous charsui eater, go for it!
They take cards and cash. There’s sown times a wait, but service is very quick and efficient. Ramen is always served soon after the order is taken.
If you’re looking for an app, the gyoza won’t disappoint either.

Oh My God… If heaven was a ramen restaurant, this would be it! Don’t be thrown off by the fact that this is on the outskirts of a mall. The minute your steaming bowl of deliciousness arrives, you won’t care. It was very full, and I’m told often has a wait.
I will be back every time I’m in Honolulu!

I love coming to this place! Goma Tei serves the best tasting noodle tan tan soup of any place we have been to. The vegetable broth tastes thick and spicy — just the way I like it. It contains carrots, green vegetables and a good amount of ramen noodles. It reminds me of my mom’s cooking! The seafood tan tan noodle soup tastes like heaven and it hits the spot. It contains scallops, shrimp, and calamari with green vegetables. I believe it to be one of the best tasting soups ever.
Goma Tei features a pretty large space for a mall restaurant: You can sit at the counter or sit at a table. Both situations feel comfortable.
I find the service fast, and pleasant. The servers come to you quickly and understand your dietary needs. For the tan tan soups you can ask for a vegetable based broth as opposed to having your noodles cooked in a chicken or beef broth. Free drink refills on sodas.
When shopping at the Ala Moana mall, stop by and relax here. Located on the first floor, Goma Tei has a loyal following: On a Friday night, you need to sign the waiting list in order to get a seat. The wait is well worth it.
Come. You will not be disappointed.

Their specialty seems to be their Tan Tan ramen and that’s what we ordered. First thing I notice is the portion, it’s huge for $ 11 and with several char siu pieces laying on top, if Canadian dollar wasn’t horrible when I visited, it would have been such a good deal.
The broth was thick and creamy, exactly how I liked my ramen broth to be. Their noodles are thick and has the right amount of ‘chewiness’. I personally feel that the broth/​pork slices are seasoned with a little bit too much salt but that’s just my personal preference.

Amerika bietet ja jede küche an, aber über die hälfte kann man nicht wirklich essen.
Das gomai tei ramen, ist wirklich ein authentisches japanisches restaurant (also ramen/​suppen spez.).
Als hätte ich in kyoto eine nudelsuppe bestellt! Sehr sehr sehr lecker!
Auch zu empfehlen die gyoza!
Wir waren zu 7. und jeder war überaus zufrieden
Die preise waren auch ok
Keiner von uns konnte die suppe aufessen, dabei essen wir alle gerne und gerne genug
Unbedingt hin

The tan tan noodle soup tasted good, and it was big portion, the wings was well breaded, the Gyozas were big and juice.
The price was expensive, and me and hubby can’t digest the noodles afterwards. Our stomachs didn’t feel good. The soup was very salty, prepare to drink tons of water afterwards.

I’m on a quest to find the best ramen place on the island and this one didn’t make the cut. But dang. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE loves this place and their tan tan ramen. Just look at that bowl. It looks absolutely delicious and flavorful, doesn’t it?! Big pieces of meat and tons of veggies floating on top of tasty-​looking broth. Well, I thought the same thing until I took my first bite.
This Goma Tei is located in the Ala Moana Mall, in between GNC and ABC store. It can be a bit difficult to find– but it’s on the same side as the food court, just walk more towards the center of the parking garage and it’ll be on your left. I’ve visited Goma Tei twice, thinking the first time was a fluke (I always give second chances ;). The interior décor is modern with a small Japanese touch to the ambiance. Service isn’t the friendliest, but they’re always prompt and efficient. There are plenty of tables and a huge bar-​style seating on the left. I’ve come here on ‘off-​days’ (weekdays, in between lunch/​dinner hours) so there were numerous tables available. I’ve tried the tan tan ramen (wakame and char sui) and the gyoza. Oh, and I always order a cold glass of Kirin beer. Yum.
As for the ramen: the good news is the noodles are cooked perfectly. The bad news is the broth. The broth is heavy, that’s for sure. But it’s lacking in that deep, flavorful, refreshing taste I’m looking for. To be quite frank, it just tasted salty. The char sui was very fatty and it made the broth even saltier.
But the gyoza is yummmmmmmmy. Thick pieces of gyoza, the grease just seeps out as you take that bite, each gyoza is packed with tasty goodness.
I am on my way to find the best ramen place and Goma Tei was crossed off that list.