Crane Ramen

The ramen was really good, but I’ve never paid more than 7.99 for a bowl of soup. First time for everything. Great service and recommended because most people don’t care about 10+ pricing!

One of my favorite spots in Gainesville! Every time I’m in town, we go. It’s small and the service is a little inconsistent but the food is always really good! There isn’t anything I’ve had here that I didn’t like from cocktails to the appetizers to the fantastic ramen!

Gotta love the experience. This place is different in that they wanted to embody the Japanese experience with some American touches. The food was delicious. Took me back to my ramen days while I studied in Kyoto, Japan. All handmade and in front of your face. So you know it’s clean. The vibe was great. Staff was pleasant
Bottom line. I’ll be going back for more

I am from California and was looking for a good Japanese ramen place. The price is a bit high but the food was excellent. :) Two thumbs up!

4.5 stars
I was a little nervous about trying this place with the average rating being on the low side, but don’t be! The food was very good! Me and my family ordered the pork buns (which was our favorite item) and 3 orders of tonkotsu ramen with the hot sauce on the side. It was delicious! By itself, the ramen broth was very savory and salty. It almost tasted spicy, but it was just fully salted. The hot sauce was also tasty, but we’re all wimps when it comes to spice, so we didn’t use it all that much. The price point was also decent (at $ 12 a bowl) due to the amount to food given. I couldn’t even finish it all! We’ll definitely come back.
Note: You may want to call ahead. The restaurant is very small, so when they get busy, I could see how a party may end up waiting a long time.

The appetizers were delicious especially the fried chicken (very tender and juicy). Honestly all the ramen are pretty good for the joint, but it is a bit overpriced. Make sure to get double noodles which is only $ 2 more cuz they do not put enough in the original

**LGBT/​QUEER FRIENDLY**
I brought my partner here for her birthday based on a review from Ken Eats Gainesville. The host who greeted us upon entering was fantastic. I really enjoy being greeted in a non overwhelming kind of way. We were seated right away and given the run down of the menu. Our food came before our appetizers. Yay for fast service, but had I known, I would skipped the appetizer. Also, the drinks are fantastic. The Ramen is delicious. Good assortment, and the servers are knowledgeable about everything on the menu.
My only issue with this location is the furniture. It’s beautifully decorated but comfort was nil. The bench was relatively comfortable though getting into it is awkward if you are even remotely big, because of the table next to you. But perhaps more so, the stools. Stools and tall chairs are limiting in who can fit in them comfortably. Likely only able bodied people can sit with no back support and no padding. I literally could not bring my friends with mobility issues here and that makes me sad. There is an assortment of seating. The other 2 options were sitting at the bar (nit very intimate or romantic) or one of the tall tables with tall chairs. Again, that doesn’t work for all body types or abilities. I think accessibility is important. And it is a consideration for me when choosing which businesses I frequent. I realize this is a college town so maybe the idea is that college kids are the target audience, but it would be nice to be comfortable. I would love to see maybe 2 of the tall tables swapped out for regular height ones with regular height chairs. I know most people probably aren’t going to care for my review but physical access is super important to me and I hate that we had to rush through a meal because the stool was killing my partners back and tall chairs would not have worked. We would likely only do takeout should we go back.

WOWWWWW
I put my name down on the waiting list, and I watched the hostess put another name in front of mine! They showed up 30 mins after!
I was originally told 30 min, that changed to 45, then to an hour. Waiting for a phone call, I wasn’t contacted for over two hours.

Crane Ramen does a great job of trying to mimic the ambiance of a humble ramen shop, with a trendy twist. The ramen counter runs the length of the left side of the store, and there is booth seating on either side of the entrance. Three rotating taps of beer are present, as well as a full bar.
Crane Ramen is the only proper ramen I have had. I chose the chicken paitan. Briased kale, red leaf lettuce, sliced scallions, and a nicely poached egg accompanied the shredded chicken. The broth had a buttery umami character too it, and every now and then a bright bite of lemon would emerge. The soy egg was perfectly cooked with a runny center. I admit the flavor was tasty enough for me to finish every drop.
Our waters were constantly being filled, and we didn’t have to wait long for our food, or to be seated. Crane Ramen did not suck.

As a Gainesville resident, I have to say that I love having CRANE Ramen as an option when going out in downtown Gainesville.
The Ramen is always great. If we’re doing apps, I prefer the pork sticky buns to the chicken. The staff makes all of the food right in front of you (if you’re sitting at the bar). It’s fresh and delicious. I wish that they sold just the broth because it’s SO good.
They do give a lot of noodles, I can rarely finish a whole bowl myself. It’s an adorable hole in the wall restaurant in DT Gainesville, but definitely something I recommend to people when they are in town.

The ramen was pretty good. To be fair, I have not had too much ramen in my life, but I ordered the chicken ramen dish (unsure of the name), and the broth was good, there chicken and egg were delicious. The restaurant is very cozy and a great date spot. My husband and I were seated next to two other millennials on a first date after meeting on Tinder (I assumed Tinder because each was still uncertain about the other’s name); the place has a nice trendy/​romantic atmosphere and is reasonably priced. Not too expensive for a Downtown restaurant.

One of my favorite Gainesville restaurants! Unique experience and everything on the menu is amazing. Karage chicken and Brussels sprouts to start and then tonkotsu ramen (with hot sauce on the side!) and paitan chicken ramen is a diverse meal and great for sharing. The hot sauce is my favorite in town but very spicy so use sparingly! All the employees are very nice and helpful too– love this place :)

Snapshot: ⁵⁄₅ Uniqueness & Food Quality ⁴⁄₅ Price
If your a ramen head (or never had it), it’s soothing for the soul especially after a Gators game. Everything is made in house and offers a ton of flavor.

I’ve been to Crane twice now and this time definitely took the cake. My friend and I went on a Saturday afternoon, the place was completely full but the service was prompt. We both ordered a glass of wine and the house red was surprisingly delicious for only $ 4.
When it came time to order, our waitress was so kind and gave us advice on the four different ramens we were choosing from. My first time there, I had tried the Paitan and the waitress agreed with me it is slightly bland, she was very honest!
I chose to go with the Shio ramen, my friend the Shoyu and we couldn’t have been happier! Mine was bursting with flavor and the egg was perfectly cooked. It consisted of snow crab and pork which was a surprisingly delectable combination. I also chose to splurge the extra $ 1 for house made hot sauce (I usually think paying extra for sauce is a scam) and it was well worth it, the most amazing hot sauce I think I’ve ever tasted.
Overall, service awesome, food awesome and I will absolutely be going again.

I truly appreciate the care that goes into their food. Their ramen is a bit overpriced, but it is pretty solid for fixing my ramen cravings. The presentation is always super beautiful. The way that Crane shaves their scallions and shreds their nori really make a huge difference in the food. The best parts are the noodles which they get flown in from New York.
I have had the Spicy Chicken Paitan, Tonkotsu, and Shio ramen and I would have to say that the Tonkotsu is my favorite (and the most fatty at that). The Tonkotsu has a rich and creamy broth. It is the poster child of decadent. The Shio had a clear broth and wasn’t as good. It was topped with snow crab which was a treat, but it’s broth lacked the body that most ramens are known for. I really did not like the Chicken Paitan. It was super salty and lacked any spicy flavor.
The décor at Crane is really nice and the atmosphere is great. It’s definitely a hip addition to downtown Gainesville. It is totes worth on Tuesdays when all of their ramen is $ 10, but on other days, not so much. Following them on Instagram makes me want to eat there everyday. Their presentation and marketing is really what is alluring. Their service is great. Bowls come out in about fifteen minutes or less. It’s the just actual ramen that comes out that is kind of disappointing.
I believe in Crane. It has all of the components of a great restaurant. They are on the right track, but not quite there yet. I am excited to see it grow as a restaurant and will support it as long as I live in Gainesville. I really do appreciate the care that they put into their work. I can’t wait to see you grow Crane!

I really wanted to love this place because of all the hype around it but after trying it twice, I gave up. I tried the tonkotsu ramen and the spicy pulled pork paitan ramen. Both were bland to me. They look so flavorful but the looks are deceiving. I desperately wanted some salt or something. From now on, if I want some tasty ramen, I will get the short rib miso ramen from Dragonfly.
I didn’t have any issues with the service though and their drinks seem good.
Also, I was dripping sweat because the place is not that cool to begin with and when you start eating a bowl of spicy, hot liquid it becomes an uncomfortable experience. Although, I’m a hot person lol.

I am agree with three and half stars for this restaurant. However, there is no half star can be given. I have given them 4 stars.
Crane ramen truly has the Sapporo traditional taste. I am impress with their half boil egg technique. We have order the tonkotsu and Sapporo special ramen. The Sapporo special ramen is miso base with ground pork. We are not a fan on this ramen. The tonkotsu is a lot better. It come with pork belly and chashu pork. The soup is thick since they boil is a bit longer. It is depend on people. Some people like it thick soup. All this broth from the pork bone. I like the presentation of the ramen. Their noodle is thinner. I like a bit thicker noodle more into Japanese style. Their chili is special made for going with the ramen which is swipe to the side of bowl. It has soy marinated egg with half boil. You can see the liquid of the egg.
The ramen came out a bit warm temperature. I prefer steam hot. Service is average. It can be improved. I do like their pork belly bun. It the best dish for this restaurant.

Welcome to Gainesville, Florida— a quaint, humble college town where all the ramen critics reside. These critics are well experienced and versed in the complex flavors and ways of ramen from their worldly travels and ramen dining. Crane Ramen is the FIRST and ONLY ramen restaurant to ever open in Alachua County. We can help keep them in business, or we can sit around and discuss the complexity of the broth in comparison to Phở (FYI phở and ramen are not the same thing).
While Japan is geographically close to South Korea, let’s not put kimchi paste in the tonkotsu, ok? Let’s rethink that. Maybe next time, I’ll switch to Shio and request a pat of butter and corn. Brussel sprouts mixed with burnt pork left a bitter taste in my mouth. But, let’s wash all that strange away with something as familiar as fried chicken. Wait, it is fried chicken (karaage)!
Let’s be romantic for a moment. Gainesville is full of mystery and enchantment, barefoot hippies, and sacred forests. Maybe it is those things called books that are read often there. But, when people move to Gainesville they are suddenly inspired to do and create great things. The city also makes it very easy to open your own business, so small businesses are able to thrive and endure the years. Have you witnessed it yet? Crane is yet another example of what can be, and should inspire all of us.
Just sitting in the beautiful atmosphere of Gainesville’s only ramen restaurant, where The Strand used to be for many years, in one of the only original buildings still standing along the cobblestone streets of downtown, basking in the glow of the gallery lighting hitting natural wood walls, and hearing a setlist from DJ Donna’s Monday Night UC Old Wave from my teenage years… was I dreaming, or did I really eat at Crane?
Gainesville, please do not whine too much, because this magical unicorn might just disappear. All that will be left is a story to tell your Gainesville grandchildren, about the ramen restaurant that once existed in the emerald city.

Habanero heat is a culinary Janus. One face presents the opportunity to burn some bros seeking to simply survive a challenge, and maybe win a T-​shirt or a name on the wall of flame. The other, an adventure in towing the fire line while capturing the light, fruit flavor of the chili.
Crane had me at black sesame habanero ramen ($ 12). It had me at the joyously tender noodles, the ample pork, the glorious yolk on the six minute egg. And then Crane lost me on the souped-​up paitan broth.
No toasted nuttiness from the black sesame seeds. No richness from that perfect yolk. No salt. No acid. It’s simply the burn of the habanero, and texture from etcetera. And while the appropriate warning from the cordial, involved staff is appreciated, it doesn’t negate the confusion set by the lack of any other flavor in the dish. Are you a contest entrée that’ll get me a free meal if I finish it in ten minutes, or are you a visual, balanced appreciation of elevated noodles? To my experience, it’s yet to make up its mind.
Paired with the Tokyo Snake Bite ($ 8) — a hot-​around-​the-​collar yuzu and rye shandy over Stiegl’s Radler, sporting a thick Togarashi spice rim. It’s surprisingly sweet for all those tart and sour ingredients, and drank like a juicy, candied michelada.
Kicking myself for arriving after the tonkotsu had sold out, and for not grabbing the pork belly buns while I had the chance. (My neighbors did, and they smelled marvelous.) All the more reason to return and discover the black sesame habanero ramen is a simple misstep in what Crane’s kitchen is capable of.

Lots of people have been raving about this place, but my husband and I weren’t very impressed. The décor was cool, the vibe was good, the food… mediocre.
We went for lunch a month or so after it opened. It was busy, but the wait wasn’t long. We each ordered a SMALL appetizer and noodle bowl. I’m vegan and their was only one ramen option, which was surprising to me. The bowls were not as flavorful as we had hoped. We each asked for a side of hot sauce… which you had to pay extra for. I had to use my entire side of hot sauce to get enough flavor. Total sodium bomb too.
It was expensive. Approximately $ 40 before tip for lunch and we didn’t even have any drinks. I think it’s a little too pricy for what it is. The atmosphere was cool, it didn’t really feel like Gainesville in there, but we are in Gainesville and all I wanted was a delicious bowl of noodles, not a mediocre $ 40 lunch.