I really waited for a second experience to post my review because I do try to give an establishment the benefit of the doubt..the front of house and overall hospitality needs an overhaul This is the second occasion where I approached the hostess counter, not been greeted even after saying hello. It was assumed I was a delivery driver and I literally had to beg to be seated .. Instead management and the hostess are running through the duties of the shift as though a customer is not present Once seated I was. virtually left waiting while other customers are attended to and serviced... Service is very DIY, you have to figure out on your own where and what the menu is and that it's scannable Overall the service is very cold and unwelcoming...and the space itself incredibly dark .. I should also add part of my visit was to scout out a possible local restaurant to host an event for employer that's based in Montclair.. After waiting for service I left without ordering and went to Porta, which understands hospitality and not making assumptions of guests is what brings customers back, and with business This is the second time I've had an experience like this at the restaurant...The first time very similar standing at the host counter, not greeted or acknowledged properly same with table service... That experience could be summed up as were doing a favor serving you food...This was during the summer so I gave it the general benefit of the doubt that it could have been a bad day for ... Overall the culture of the business doesn't seem to reflect a consistent positive welcoming environment for all customers. And probably one of the least favorable dining experiences I've had in North Jersey... read more

This was my third visit to Ani Ramen in Montclair and for the third time, Ani Ramen was incredibly enjoyable! My girlfriend and I came here on a Wednesday evening (1/30/2019) around 7PM and it was about a 20 minute wait for our own table which is a not that much of a wait compared to the weekend. Like always... we ordered the Pork Buns and again it was extraordinary! Ani Ramen's best buns forever will be their Pork Buns. Their Chicken Buns (which was a special) was pretty good also, but would definitely recommend their Shrimp Bun instead. We also ordered the Chicken Wings from the menu (not the special) which pretty good too! The Soy Glaze wings were delicious but the Dry Rub wings were a little too salty for my liking. The ramen bowls we ordered was the #5 Mazemen Bowl which my girlfriend ordered for the first time and LOVED! She was a little upset the bowl was smaller than a regular bowl with broth, but she didn't mind that because it tasted delicious either way! I ordered the #6 Ani Ramen Bowl for the second time and again it was reliable. This bowl was full of flavor and the egg that came with it was amazing! I wish I knew how to make it at home! This establishment, unlike their location in Jersey City, is BYOB. I would highly recommend Ani Ramen to anyone and everyone! I cannot wait to visit their new location which will soon open February 2019 in Summit, NJ! read more

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It has a nice decore and a relaxed atmosphere. The food good, but not great. The service was friendly and hospitable

There are not many places that make ramen for a vegetarian, BUT Ani is one of them! I was so excited. Although, there is truly only one entree option on here for me to eat, they do have many add-ons to try out. The ramen itself, was a large bowl and had many noodles and veggies. The broth was perfect, almost had a peanut butter taste to it. Not thick like peanut butter tho! Id be careful about where you sit in here, we sat towards the kitchen and the fumes were terrible. Myself and my date were coughing and had burning eyes, they need to either not burn things or get better ventilaton here. this is health hazard. read more

Ani Ramen House - Veggie ramen ! $12 so good ! - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Been here a couple times and its a good Ramen place. The servers are nice and the service has been good. This time though, we unfortunately didn't notice that the gratuity was added to the bill already when presented. The printer ink was going and that line was left not prominent. When you pay on by phone, it actually prompts you and defaults automatically to an additional 22% gratuity (pretty shocking that they would do this). We actually changed it to the only other option at 21%. We did notice when the processed total displayed that it was high and after re-checking the online, we saw that it was the huge tip. I've been in the restaurant business for decades and I can't count how many servers have been terminated at all the restaurants for a pattern of double dipping. Management at most restaurants always instruct the staff to circle the mandatory gratuity added and verbally tell the guest when presenting the check. This didn't happen at this place. There didn't seem to be any manager present throughout the seating, so on the way out, we said something to the hostess (maybe the manager?). We said that the extra $20 was nothing to cause a scene over, but that it was something as a business that they shouldn't do. She smiled politely and nodded - probably didn't know what we were talking about. Admittedly we should have noticed this..... but it's such a do not do in the industry, that it wasn't even on our radar to watch for. Saw this same double gratuity problem write up on another review here on Yelp and based on that, I'd assume that the management isn't too concerned. It is possible that the server forgot to say that the gratuity is added or that we missed the sign stating as such, but there's lots of other Ramen places and its just a bad vibe to think that it might be condoned in some way - hopefully they pull focus and make sure that it doesn't continue for other guests in the future. read more

The ramen is okay, pork belly is good. It was super loud in the restaurant and we waited 30-40 mins for our food (after ordering). Nice location though read more

Vibe: Very chic and modern interior. Wait was 45 mins on a Thursday night at 630pm. There was constant chatter, but not too loud that you cannot hear your companions. Small place but not elbow-to-elbow-crowded. It was a bit warm inside and this became more noticeable while slurping ramen. Hopefully they improve this issue. Service was fast and friendly. Waitstaff would smile and ask us if everything was fine aside from our waiter. App and drinks: Yuzu lemonade was refreshing and had a different kick to regular lemonade. It does say "salty" on the description but I didn't catch any taste of it (whew). Next time I'll try the barley tea. Pork buns were highly recommended and did not disappoint. It has a different taste than Ippudo's pork buns so don't expect it to be similar in taste. loved the pickled/sweetened cucumber and spicy mayo that accompanied it. all the flavors blended well together. I would reorder :) Ramen: ordered their house special No. 6 (ani ramen) per our waiter's suggestion and was not disappointed. The pork could have been softer. It was on the chewy side, but not tough. Don't expect Santouka's Melty pork here. Overall the flavors blended well together. I ordered the soy sauce egg which was cooked to perfection ($1) and ordered the flavored oils ($1)- spicy, toasted onion, garlic. Spicy miso was a bit salty but again, nicely flavored. Noodles (thicker ones for the spicy miso, and thinner ones for Ani Ramen) were cooked well/ al dente. Portions were big enough for a hungry person. Their menu is small, but I think I would rather eat a resto that concentrates on a few great items than a plethora of sub-par items. Would definitely go back and try more items on their menu. Good to have a ramen place nearer to us than having to go to nyc or mitsuwa in north jersey. :) ** aww shucks, just found our about their rewards card stamp program. We could've had 3 stamps by now. Wasn't offered at our visit..** read more

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We were seated here right away since there was space at the counter by the window. It's not a very large place so the tables fill up fast, be prepared to wait as it was a weeknight and busy! The ramen is very good, I like the spicy miso which isn't super spicy, just right. Delicious broth. The pork buns are great too! Decent service. read more

Ani Ramen House - Spicy miso with salmon - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Honestly the best ramen around. Chicken Wings Two Ways and Bao buns are delish. Every slurp of the ramen is tasty. I can't get enough. Honestly. Everyone should give them a try. read more

Love this restaurant! No matter how much you go it never disappoints! Great service, fun music, and delicious food. My favorite thing to get is the pork rice bowl which is so healthy and delicious, and you should definitely order cucumber salad or edamame to nibble on for the table! read more

They are good with what they do. I usually get the #6 (Ani Ramen). Broth, Ajitama and noodles are all excellent. My only gripe is that for a $13 ramen, the Ajitama isn't included. It's usually included as a component of Ramen. $2 to get the extra Ajitama! Wait staff are friendly and efficient. Interior is on the dark side. We had a hard time reading the menu. Location is small so it gets packed during lunch time. I would suggest coming during off hours to get seated right away. Finding parking is a challenge. A few times we have to just keep on driving because we couldn't find parking after circling around looking for one. read more

Ani Ramen House - #6 Ani Ramen with Ajitama - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Place seems great according to reviews and overall vibe of the restaurant. Unfortunately, my friend and I weren't able to get our meals until nearly an hour later. We watched tables after tables being served before us and left before we even got to eat. Not sure what happened today but, I love ramen and would not come back here. Such a shame. So we just got the food and of course my noodles are undercooked and my friends noodles were cold. But hey if you had a blast here take the risk! read more

Your customer service is something to be desired your staff is rude !!! After waiting for an exorbitant amount of time for my order (over an hour ) for 1 item. And then YOU MESS UP THE ORDER !!! I call talk to someone who passes me off to who I believe is a Manager (Bitch!! ) offers a refund no apology and when I start to say No I'd like a replacement she hangs up on me and the declines all my follow up calls. Fuck you ANI RAMYEN. YOU SUCK AND WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER PENNEY FROM MY FAMILY , FRIENDS AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE THAT READS THIS REVIEW !! During this pandemic you should be counting your blessings that your busy NOT PUSHING CUSTOMERS AWAY so I hope your doors close soon !! I hope you other locations have better service than Montclair. read more

I will not be going or ordering from here again. Part of running an establishment is dealing with customers and handing YOUR screw ups professionally NOT hanging up the phone or declining the return call! I WANT A REFUND for my order! You may have good food but your service and customer service SUCKS A BIG AHOLE!!!! I will be sharing this with all my friends who normally go or order from this place! Eventually customers will encounter this horrible customer service and they too will not accept this type of service! So unprofessional and very disappointing! ZERO stars if I could read more

The service was great but the food was alright. The chicken wings were decent, I can live without eating them again. The pork buns were really good, it tastes pretty generic but I would definitely order them next time I go. The spicy miso was very disappointing to be honest. The broth was not flavorful, spicy, or rich and the noodles were too al dente. The menu is also pretty small so there's not much variety...I was really hoping they had tonkatsu ramen on the menu. read more

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Came here with one of my friends on a chilly evening. This was the perfect meal for the weather ! We started off with the pork buns which were delicious. They were flavorful and tender; just the right bite before our meal. Both of us had the ani ramen which was equally as delicious ! The broth was very flavorful and it was piping hot. This was very filling and definitely left me satisfied. I will for sure be back. read more

Ani Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Had the Ani Ramen - decent but nothing spectacular. Although, the pork buns were actually better than their ramen. The Ramen took a bit of time to hit our table and the restaurant was only at half capacity. Overall an okay place to get a Ramen fix if nothing else is available. Definitely not a 4 start ramen joint comparable to Totto Ramen at Midtown! read more

Ani Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Never disappoints. Cucumber salad, fried dumplings and nap buns for apps all amazing. Spicy miso ramen with pork also amazing and on multiple visits. New location allows more seating but quality is unchanged. Top 5 in Montclair read more

The Shrimp Tempura Kimchi Ramen is so flavorful. It's like a warm hug. When I don't feel well, I order delivery of their Kimchi Ramen. I haven't tried other menu items yet. read more

I've dined in and ordered out here. The soup is alright not too flavorful. Service is rushed since they are very very busy but it's very overrated. Had the spicy miso. Not very flavorful at all. Needed some seasoning for sure. The order out experience is atrocious. The wait time is an hour which is fine I made sure I ordered before I was actually hungry. Finally the time came to pick it up. Soup was COLD and I live only a couple of minutes away. I had to heat up everything when I got home. Which okay whatever I can look past. But when I opened my containers there was almost no soup. I was shocked. The soup base and ingredients come separately and rightfully so, so your veggies and noodles don't over cook but the broth didn't even cover my noodles that's how little there was!!! Neither container was full not the noodle container with veggies and egg or the broth container. I was so hungry after my meal and each soup was $25. I can understand it being cold I could tell it had been sitting out there for a REALLY long time since there were tons of orders. But for $25 a soup to not even be full after is CRAZY, and I don't even eat a lot. Would 100% skip this place not very flavorful, expensive and very little food given the wait times are also ridiculous and not accurate at all. read more

Ani Ramen House - Barely any broth and freezing cold - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

So ani ramen used to always honor my special requests for nut and sesame allergies. However, they have taken the option off of DoorDash. The last time I ordered I was able to call about my DoorDash order and they honored the request. They wrote it in and told the chef. This time however I was told that they can no longer do this. I could hear the manager in the background saying it wasn't possible. This really sucks for those of us with sesame allergies. This was one of the things that kept me coming there. They would leave out the sesame oil for me. I hope they consider doing something about this. read more

Aside from excellent service & warm welcoming atmosphere, I would say this is one of the best ramen restaurants I ever tried. I keep coming back here almost every week which I'm NOT even being exaggerated here. . . Here's some of my recommendations: Shrimp buns, Ani ramen (do it with egg), & Gyoza. Also, if your servers are either John or Sean, you are truly blessed!! They are just funny & friendly! (Plus fast & fully satisfied service) read more

Ani Ramen House - Tofu Salad - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I got the shrimp buns and spicy miso ramen. The buns were good but a little soggy. The ramen is what made me give them 2 stars and it's because of how salty it was. I didn't even finish my ramen because I wasn't enjoyable also they don't cut up the chicken it's just two chicken breasts in the bowl. Overall disappointed I'm a big fan of ramen and saw the high reviews on this place and thought I'd try. read more

Ani Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

My partner and I came to Ani Ramen on one of my pregnancy cravings. Waiter kindly seats us and minds that we have our own glass bottle spring water. A woman who I assume is the manager comes to the table and pours tap water into our cups and proceed to tell us that although the place is BYOB, no outside food or drinks allowed, and asked me if I wanted a Pellegrino (after pouring tap water into the cups). I go to restaurants in Montclair (matter of fact all around NJ) ALL the time with no fuss of my water.. In my confusion she walks away and comes back saying she would let it slide- like she was doing me a favor and took our order. The kind waiter came back and provided us with new cups. My excitement for ramen was shot down and lost after that. I also had to remove a star because my partner noticed that the spoons the manager had placed on the bar had a white residue on it. We consciously cleaned our spoons before using them. The vegan ramen could have used more spice and I even added the umami bomb. The salad was very tasty and I enjoyed the way the tofu was cooked. 5 star potential but poor experience. read more

Ani Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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This place is nice, good food and good vibe. The place is small but has a nice decor. Also "shared" seating if you want to just get a quick bite and a little longer wait if you want a private table. We went here on a Tuesday and people are just in and out (sign of a good resto). We had Ani Ramen with egg, Ani salad, Braised pork bun, Shrimp Katsu bun, Gyoza and side of fried tofu. Everything was delicious. Only reason the review didn't get a 5 stars is because the service lack there of. The waiter kept forgetting our request. We asked for a fork and that took 15 minutes, water also that we had to ask another waitress for it. Note: 4 or more should call in advance read more

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I live for the ramen at this place. Coming from San Diego where ramen is king it's hard finding a place that's comparable. Try having the spicy ramen with the breaded shrimp....wild. Love the food. Love the service. This place is a highly recommend read more

Ani Ramen has become a date night go to. Stopped here for lunch and loved every second of it. Restaurant tends to be crowded but its so good that that isn't a turn off. A little after lunch time we were able to get parking on the street and get a table in less than 10 minutes. We order shrimp buns which has this special sauce on the shrimp that was so good. We loved the spicy miso and added extra chicken. I love that they provide chop stick holders for the beginners like me. It made to feel super comfortable to enjoy my meal. This place is very clean and the service is great. I would definitely recommended giving them a try for your authentic ramen experience. read more

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So...for date night, we decided to try ramen. Eh - it was okay to say the least. I've had better at home. It's not worth the long wait as there are better options on the same block. The location is entirely too small, the music is fairly loud and I wasn't a fan of the pork buns. However, their waiting system is a very good technique! When you sign up to wait for a table, you will receive a text message. Within this message, if for any reason you decide to go somewhere else or need to leave, you can respond to the text without having to find the hostess again. I found that to be pretty cool. read more

I have been meaning to try this ramen spot for quite a while and I must say, now that I finally had the opportunity, it did not disappoint! To start off, there was a bit of a wait. What's cool though is that they text you when your table is ready and provide you with a link which shows you which number you are on the waiting list. In addition, they have heaters and music outside, so for me waiting wasn't a problem! Now let's talk FOOD! The shrimp bun appetizer with shrimp tempura tasted amazing!!!!! If you love shrimp you'll LOVE this deliciousness. It tasted so good that I wanted to order more but was afraid I'd get full before our ramen came out. For ramen I ordered miso and it tasted great. Good portions too. All in all, I'd give this spot a 10 out of 10. The vibe as very chill and the crowd (including employees) very diverse! read more

Ani Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

The food and service was amazing. My boyfriend and I went to Ani Ramen for Valentine's Day and we couldn't stop talking about how amazing the food was. We asked our kind waiter what he suggested and we went with it. We got wings, bao buns and obviously ramen. I would recommend this place to anyone. Great atmosphere and the customer service was a 10/10. read more

WOW!! I can't decide what was better the service or the food ... and the food was amazing!! Everything is fresh and delicious- with the most attentive staff! Our waiter(who's name I unfortunately can't remember) took the time to explain the specials and different bowls...the rest of the staff was always nearby but not hovering... it's definitely a team atmosphere! Going early in the evening is key-no wait!! We were lucky enough to have won a gift certificate at the Montclair PBA Beefsteak dinner a few weeks earlier and couldn't wait to get here! We shared a couple of rolls (chashu pork and shrimp) before diving into our ramen bowls with extra noodles... Gregg had Miso Ramen and I had the Spicy Ramen- both with extra noodles (and we have leftovers for lunch tomorrow-winning!) Looking forward to our next visit... maybe lunch over the weekend? read more

Ani Ramen House - Ramen Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Always order from here. Usually on the website. I couldn't find the option for a side of broth so I called and William told me where to find it. Still couldn't find it so I called to put in a phone order and when I told him his whole tone change "ugh, yea sure what would you like to get?" I told him not too sound so excited, he sounded like I was making him work to place an order. read more

This Ramen is definitely way waaaay better than the stuff you buy in the dollar store and boil at home. Super flavor with high quality ingredients. Generous portions. It's my "go to" when I need nutritious comfort food. read more

Our server was William, his service and suggestions were top tier! The food was amazing, from the Bao Buns, to the wings, and the Ramen (drools). The ambiance is great, BYOB! Will be back sooner Will! read more

Love eating here best food ever! Everything on the menu we ordered was delicious!! Have visited the restaurant twice and it was delicious both time. I will return very soon! read more

Great team and delicious food! My wife and I stopped in for lunch and I've been here solo several times before. Shawn and Anji rock as leaders in the building and have a warmth to them, but also are clearly running the show. There is a young girl with dark curly hair (sorry I forget your name who is a joy) and Will was a very attentive and good server yesterday. Will always make this a priority when I have my Ramen cravings. Also the rewards program rocks and is a nice way to reward customers for coming back to visit. read more

Ani Ramen use to be incredible ramen a few years ago.Fast forward to the present. Their popularity has gotten the best of them. The service is sub par, the workers are borderline unfriendly at best. Rude for the most part. The ramen is mediocre, they can't even bother to throw in ramen spoons. A spoon for your over prices ramen isn't too much to ask for. Also watch out for the mystery convenience fee that's tacked on even for takeout. We tried to remain loyal. read more

ramen here is okay at best. it's classic Montclair here where they take the authenticity out of everything. Never would imagine having Bad Bunny blasting over everyone. Might as well be compared to Tops Diner in an atmospheric sense. You don't get that intimacy that ramen needs. The ramen is also an issue. it's apparent that people coming here haven't had a good ramen dish. Poor broth making, no thin pork belly (practically a brisket), noodles are okay though. Do yourself a favor and either wait for Fujiya to open back up or make the drive to Menya/Blackbeard. read more

Excellent all the time. It's so hard to find places that give you the right heat when it comes to spice and taste.

Decided to go on a ramen binge one week..this was stop #1...and it was by the far the best of the three. My friend and I came here on a Wednesday night around 7 and got the last table. We ordered the special sauce wings...absolutely amazing, some of the best wings I've had. I ordered the spicy miso ramen (usually my go to everywhere) and It was phenomenal. The broth was so flavorful and the portion was just right. I was actually able to finish the whole bowl, which I usually can manage about half. The portions are a little smaller than average, but the quality makes up for it, and to me it was the perfect sized bowl. My friend got the special ramen for that day, which I believe was a braised short rib ramen. She absolutely loved It. I sampled her broth and it seemed to be a soy sauce based broth with some sweetness. It was absolutely delicious, though a totally different type of flavor than mine. No complaints. I would come back here for sure. Except I may visit the location closer to me, in Jersey City. read more