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    Ani Ramen House

    4.2 (180 reviews)
    ModerateRamen
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    ANI RAMEN HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Moderate noise

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    Restroom sink. This sign only applies to employees, right?
    Brian L.

    Ani Ramen House's Cranford location is on the corner of Walnut and Chestnut on the ground floor of the apartments at The Albero. The main entrance is next to the kitchen, which is designed for food delivery and takeout operations. The L-shaped dining room wraps around the kitchen and offers an impressive amount of seating for 80 people with ample natural lighting. The interior decor follows the same rigid industrial wood and metal aesthetic that almost every new hipstery restaurant chain has subscribed to for the past decade. In case you've forgotten that ramen is Japanese, you'll also see neon signs on the walls illuminating some common Japanese phrases (although without furigana). Two gendered restrooms are located left of the kitchen in the far corner of the building and each have two stalls and one sink. I ordered the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen with a side of Chili Charred Brussels for takeout. I placed the order 30 minutes in advance and it was ready at the scheduled pickup time. The Chili Charred Brussels were about five halved sprouts that were steamed and lightly sauteed with a light sprinkling of mustard greens and pepper flakes. I actually enjoyed these more than the ramen I ordered, but they did not have much noticeable charring (or the caramelization that comes with charring). I had a very difficult time enjoying the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, which is the first item on the ramen menu. The dry ingredients are packaged in the main serving bowl and the broth in a separate plastic takeout container for you to combine yourself. The main attraction of the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen is the three massive slabs of braised pork, which did not disappoint. I tried some of dry ingredients first before drowning them in liquid, although I could not find any bean sprouts. The noodles were slightly undercooked, possibly to compensate for the hot broth. Everything kind of went downhill after I added the shoyu broth. Although the shoyu did impart flavor to the meat and ramen, it was so overwhelmingly salty that it was completely undrinkable by itself. After finishing the noodles, I felt like I was sipping boiled dipping sauce. If chicken broth was in the mix, I certainly couldn't taste it. This is particularly concerning because half of the ramen menu contains this same shoyu tare, and will most likely be too overpowering for most people. In retrospect, I should have ordered the brothless mazemen ramen. The food preparation, while adequate, seemed a bit rushed based on what I ate. Perhaps 30 minutes was not enough lead time for the kitchen, or perhaps this is just how Ani Ramen makes its food. While I appreciate that Ani has helped make ramen more accessible in Central Jersey, it's probably not my first choice for ramen or any of the eclectic side dishes on the menu, e.g. brussels sprouts, kimchi, and gua bao (none of which are Japanese).

    Pork belly bao Pork Belly Buns
    Sharon L.

    I have been to this place a few times! I hadn't been in a while but I have been under the weather and yesterday I actually was starting to have an appetite and wanted some good bao buns! This place never fails the buns are so soft and flavorful. We got the pork belly bao buns, kimchi bao buns, my grandson loves all things noodles he got the chicken broth base with noodles. I only managed to get a pic of the pork belly bao buns. Definitely check it out.

    Candita Y.

    First of all, the wagyu ramen was like nothing I ever had before. I HAD to take it to go because it was so filling. John the server gave us the sweetest service and was considerate of it being my first time at the establishment. Will definitely be back. Love it! I got a new favorite for sure...

    Mazemen
    Melina S.

    So I finally made it back to Ani Ramen after moving out of state 2 years ago! Had to stop by during my NJ visit because I've been craving their ramen and pork buns like crazy. First off - Cranford location all the way over Summit. Summit's parking is just absolutely terrible, but Cranford is right in downtown on this little side street where you can actually find a spot without wanting to pull your hair out. Plus the restaurant itself is huge and super bright with those big windows everywhere. OK so here's the thing - if you don't have their app yet, get it NOW. I had points saved up from before I moved and ended up getting one order of free buns, free ramen bowl, AND $5 off my bill. Like seriously, just download it and start earning points because it actually pays off. I ordered the Mazeman with egg (obviously) and did my usual thing where I order the chef's special broth on the side to mix with the noodles. Trust me on this one, it makes it so much better. And don't worry about it being too spicy - honestly I don't think the chef's special broth is spicy at all. The pork belly bun was solid as always. Actually all their buns are good but I'm partial to the pork ones and the panko shrimp ones. Man, being back here just reminded me how much I missed this place. Definitely stopping by again next time I'm in town!

    These edamame are the most delicious ones I've ever had.
    Lee C.

    I've been here about 10 times. Everything I've ordered has been great. The edamame is still my favorite - the best edamame I've ever had. The only shortcoming remains the service. Tonight our party of 3 was largely ignored. No water refills. No checking up to see how everything is going. Even when we tried twice to get our waitress' attention, her back was usually turned towards us. We're always generous tippers but it was really hard to give her more than 15%. And they appeared adequately staffed. C'mon Ani Ramen, you've got to work on that.

    Chef's Special Ramen
    Veronica M.

    Excellent spot for ramen! I've tried the three main ramen bowls and enjoy the chefs special the most. The boa buns are an absolute must! The atmosphere is really spacious and hipster. Would definitely recommend. It is BYOB but there is a liquor store next door. Service is great, we had to wait a little and they offered us a free appetizer, which was really generous. Will be back!

    Spicy Ramen
    Robert S.

    This is a place I have rated 5 stars in the past, but it seems they are cutting back on the quality and size. Service is still great. I had the $15 lunch special which comes with a bao bun and choice of ramen. I got the pork belly bao bun and it was very good. As far as the ramen is concerned it has gone downhill. First of all it comes in a smaller bowl than it used to. Secondly it comes with less ingredients and less robust ones than it used to. It used to come with an egg, now it's an up charge. It used to come with bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Not anymore. They are substituting cut up cabbage for those ingredients. Still had pork belly. The ramen noodles also have changed to an inferior quality. Soup is still tasty, but the changes are certainly disappointing. May be looking for a new go to lunch spot when I'm in the area.

    Japanese Cucumbers
    Jeff Y.

    Very cute and trendy place in Cranford. I think its a great local spot for anyone whose close to the area but may not necessarily be worth traveling far for. Otherwise I have no complaints!! For apps, we always get the cucumbers to break up flavors and textures. The hoisin with the shishito peppers was weird at first but we kept going back for more hoisin! The best app hands down were the kurobuta sausages. One of the best in NJ! For our meals my wife got the shoyu ramen which isn't quite the traditional style, but had some fresh tasting ingredients. I ended up with the pulled pork don buri which was pretty good for the price. We ended up ordering a second pork don buri and a couple of kurobuta sausages to-go for our late night munchies^^ Great place, nice vibes and excellent staff. Would definitely try again if I ever find myself in the area.

    Wings (dine in only)
    Chelsea N.

    Another great meal at Ani last weekend! Wanted to update with a picture of their amazing soy glazed wings.

    Ramen time!
    Jill C.

    I was immediately welcomed by a friendly hostess. The service was pretty attentive and there were a few other patrons in the restaurant. Hip-hop drummed in the background but it wasn't so loud that I would not be able to here others at the table. It was a fun and lively vibe. I ordered the pork belly bun and the soy glazed chicken and rice bowl. A complementary bowl of marinated cucumbers was provided. I cannot say I was impressed with anything. The food was good enough but not noteworthy. The pork belly seemed reheated and the fat was not rendered enough to make the skin crisp. The chicken was flavorful and tender. I liked the glaze a lot but the chicken was very fatty and I mistook it for pork ribs. It was a nice experience and I appreciated how hard the staff worked. The food left me underwhelmed though.

    SHOYU RAMEN

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    1 month ago

    Best food and service. Bianca is the best. So attentive and friendly!!! My family had a great time.

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    Ani Ramen

    Thank you for the great review, Cindi!

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    15 days ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

    The restaurant is very clean, ambiance is great and welcoming for all guests. Im just not a fan of the Ramen, it was mid at best

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    11 months ago

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    Ani Ramen

    Hi Misha, thank you so much for the fantastic review! See you soon!

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Excellent service and food! Wings are outstanding! The pork belly buns and the burnt pork ends also!!

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    Ani Ramen

    Thank you so much for the 5-star review, Anthony! See you soon!

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    9 months ago

    It's just bussin , it depends which one you go to the one in cranford New Jersey , the service there is terrible , they font

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Hands down best ramen in Cranford. Pork buns are a must, gyoza is a must, and of course my go-to--Shoyu ramen.

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    6 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    Melanie G.

    Thanks for the kind words and for dining with us!

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    4.3(123 reviews)
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    Popped in for a late dinner, about an hour before closing. We were seated immediately. Restaurant…read morewas nicely lit, tables were clean. Ordered a strawberry lemonade, fried gyoza (with chicken; not pictured since I was starving and ate it too fast), dumplings (also with chicken) with crispy onions and bean sprouts, I got the miso ramen (with chicken...appears to be a theme), and my GF got the Katsu Curry (yep, theme confirmed. Came with chicken). Fried gyoza was an easy 5/5. Perfectly cooked and the dipping sauce was divine. Will definitely order again. Dumplings had a nicely-sized piece of shrimp along with ground pork inside. Dumpling skin wasn't too thin and wasn't too thick. The sauce they came in was also quite tasty. 4.5/5. My miso ramen was delish. Broth was savory, ramen noodles had a nice chew...would also reorder. 4.5/5. My GF 's Katsu Curry...she said it was decent enough but it was kind of bland because there wasn't enough curry sauce. She gave it a 3/5. All in all, we both said we'd be back. Next time I'm sure she'll try a ramen dish instead, I'll probably reorder what I got this first time.

    I guess I give this place overall a 3.5, instead of just a 3. This place caught my eyes as an asian…read morerestaurant in the area and relatively good ratings, but felt that everything was pretty average. I went with a group of 3 and all ordered ramen and the karaage appetizer, but the karaage was just slightly crispy and barely had any flavor, the sauce really saved that dish but definitely would pass on that dish. All 3 ramens were average. The pork cha shu was tender though which was the highlight, but overall broth was pretty standard. Particularly my miso ramen didn't have that much flavor. Service and staff was a bit slow, but food came out pretty fast. Overall not bad, but will probably give this place another go sometime and try some of the other dishes.

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    I'm surprised this place got a remodel/renovation. It looks much more modern and has several Asian…read morethemed murals (like Naruto and Doraemon). I wasn't too impressed with the food. I felt like my sushi burrito was kind of dry. I made my own sushi burrito and all my ingredients were there. Inflation has really increased the price of this item as well as the food choices. The topping list is somewhat limited, and now you pay $2 extra for masago. Portion looks small but it was filling. Everything is online so customer service was limited. There's three kiosks on the wall to order. Parking except on Sundays is very difficult to find. It's a block away from a paid parking lot if you can find a spot though.

    The place is pretty good. They have tablets for you to order on, so it makes ordering the "Build…read moreyour own" pretty easy. It's also a nice little spot, there's a lot of seating and they have some cute wall paintings and decor that make it feel nice. We had went after it had just opened, so it was also clean and not busy at all. I had ordered the "Build your own" sushi bowl with white rice, shrimp tempura, tamago (sweet omelette), seaweed salad, romaine lettuce, soy sauce, and sesame sauce. They have a lot of options to pick from so it's nice to customize it to your likings. My only thing is that I had ordered a bowl and I'm sure that's what I picked, but they ended up giving me a sushi burrito. I was a little disappointed at first, but at least the sushi burrito is really good. It's essentially a jumbo roll of sushi. I really enjoyed mine and each of the individual ingredients tasted really fresh and good. You get a lot with your order so I felt really full. I definitely do want to come again, and I think next time I actually would want to get the burrito.

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    Kinya Ramen Sushi Bar - West Orange

    Kinya Ramen Sushi Bar - West Orange

    4.5(374 reviews)
    10.0 mi
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    Maybe as a ramen snob i had low expectations but I really liked this place. The ramen broth was…read morelegit authentic. And portions were very generous. The pork slices were big although I wouldn't say they are as good as those found in very traditional and higher end ramen places in NYC. But at this price point in the suburbs, the place is absolutely a 5-star. Look it's not Ippudo or Ichiran... it's part of a small group with various locations... but it's also not your typical suburbia mall Japanese spot either. The drinks are very well priced too. Service was very friendly, it's convenient with lots of parking, and they seem to be quite busy midweek for early dinner. I've yet to find a go-to ramen place in NJ... Ani Ramen is popular around here though I think this is better. It's good enough for this ramen snob to not make me want to drive into Manhattan to seek out ramen even if it's not exactly quite like the very best in the city.

    The food is very good. Knock down one star because of the service received tonight…read more Our server was Charlie. I am not sure if she is new or not, but she was not attentive and also very slow. All I wanted was to get my check and pay and leave before the storm hit. She was talking to the new tables for a long long time. We ended up taking the check and paid up front. Basically we waited 10 minutes just to get the check. The restaurant should train their staff to keep the check with them, or have the remote credit card machine. When the customer asked for the check, the staff should be ready to provide in a timely manner. I will still come back, but will be more smart to ask for the check way ahead of time.

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