Takumen
5-50 50th Ave, Long Island City, NY
Crema's Take
“Takumen brings a thoughtfully curated Japanese café experience to Long Island City with creative dishes like their standout Super Kinoko rice bowl (those mushrooms really are special) and unexpected bites like nori fries and fried avocado that feel both playful and intentional. The bright, well-lit space has a genuinely warm vibe perfect for lingering over specialty drinks like their black sesame latte, and the staff consistently gets high marks for attentive service that matches the care put into the food. It's a lively spot that hits that sweet spot between casual neighborhood hangout and destination café—great for meeting friends or settling in for a slow sit.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
service was good and the space is cute. i tried the grilled chicken meatballs and the nori fries for appetizer which were both yummy. i didn’t expect the fries to be more like home fries, but they were crispy and flavorful. the ramen was a complete letdown. the broth was mediocre and the noodles had a weird, almost plastic texture.
Delicious, flavorful, and fresh - the food here is thoughtfully made and you can taste it with every bite. I am a huge fan of the Super Kinoko rice bowl (mushrooms are to die for!) and love ordering it with a fresh side of tuna poke. Service is also impeccable. Lert’s menu recommendations are always top notch! If he suggests a special, I’m always ordering it 😂 also, can’t forget to end your meal with some home-made ice cream!
Takumen is amazing! Unique food choices, great service and clean well lit atmosphere. Lively crowd at night! Super kinoko bowl, hard boiled eggs, fried avocado, dashi edamame, nori is amazing!!!
tldr: looks nice, quick & kind service, cute plate setting, but food doesn't taste as good as it looks. Very lovely atmosphere and service, and I appreciate that they have black sesame lattes and good quality matcha too. However we came for the ramen and were utterly disappointed. We got the dan dan chicken with the takumen broth. It was only salty and watery, with no other dimensions of flavor. It just tasted like salt, soy sauce and sesame oil with some chili on top. I can make better ramen at home. Also for the price (and for an authentic ramen) I expected it to come with a marinated egg as well, but I guess that costs extra.
I used to love this restaurant when I came here a few years ago, since the food was really good back then. But my most recent visit was an absolute disappointment. The food was shockingly bad. Two different chicken dishes had almost the exact same seasoning, and we had to wait a long time. The ramen was the worst I’ve ever had – I stopped after just one bite.