Ninja City Kitchen & Bar

Ninja City Kitchen is the kind of place that rewards curiosity. Every dish feels playful yet thoughtful, rooted in Asian flavors but unafraid to bend the rules. We started with the steam buns, packed with pulled pork. The ramen offers creative twists that still honor the comfort of a good broth. One standout was the Korean “korndog”; a hot dog wrapped with mozzarella, deep-fried to golden perfection, and finished with a drizzle of gochujang aoili, a fusion bite you remember long after the plate is gone. The cocktails were Fresh, well-balanced that elevated the experience. The atmosphere is fun and intentional. A must-visit if you’re exploring Cleveland’s food scene with an open mind and an adventurous palate.

Ninja City has become one of my favorite restaurant spots in all of Northeast Ohio—a creative menu with made-from-scratch excellent food and terrific variety. The staff are always kind, knowledgeable, and fun. This restaurant has a great vibe, to pair with really delicious food for a great price. Strong beer and liquor selection as well. A great gem I love to share with friends and family.

​Extremely disappointed with what this place has become. I’ve enjoyed their Pho in the past, and having backpacked across Vietnam, I know how it should be served. ​Tonight, the Pho arrived cold, leaving the raw meat uncooked. After 10 minutes of trying to flag someone down, the "reheated" bowl came back even colder. The waiter finally brought a side cup of hot broth another 10 minutes later, but adding hot liquid to a room-temp bowl doesn't fix raw meat. ​I eventually gave up and closed my tab. They didn't even offer to take the inedible meal off the bill until I specifically asked. I'm out $50 and searching for a new dinner at 9:00 PM. Save your money and avoid it. (If you do come, the soy egg was amazing. Worth the $2)

Excellent sushi and nigiri selection, fresh fish, good miso soup, friendly staff, quick service. The crepe cake was delicious. Good beverage selection. Great looking interior and overall atmosphere. Highly recommend a visit, likely the best sushi in the mentor area.

Ninja kitchen is the best! I love it so much. I stop in there for a quick bite to eat between activities. The staff is so kind! The food is very fast to prepare and fresh! I love the tater tot’s! With the ginger ketchup! Amazing! Best ketchup I have found in all of Cleveland maybe even the world- it is that good! Thank you ninja kitchen!

Delicous! I dearly miss Minh Anh, and was very excited to try the pho here. It is delicous, I'll be back for more. Spring rolls and gyoza were also delicous.

Food is delicious, we went 2 weeks in a row; Food is delicious, the slices of pork are seasoned and cooked to perfection. Cocktails are also well made. Service is fast and professional. Parking sucks

The Wife is a vegetarian-turning-Vegan, and we shared a vegan "House Sampler" appetizer. My Wife loved her "Steam Buns" and "Vietnamese Noodle Salad". Still a carnivore, I loved my "Korean Fried Chicken Sando with Togarashi Tots". Hope to go again next month, start working our way through the menu. Maybe even sample some Japanese whiskey!

My friend chose this place for lunch. She had been here before and loved it! We sat in the outdoor patio since the weather wasn't too bad. We shared togarashi tots and both got hot green tea and the Vietnamese noodle salad. Hers had tofu while I chose the vegetable spring roll. Loved it! It's one of the better vegetarian noodle salads I've had. Very flavorful and refreshing to eat. It was a lot of food! We both had leftovers to bring home. The tots were good. Didnt taste much from it but it did taste salted. The menu had a lot of options, especially for vegans and vegetarians. It's a fusion restaurant so I wouldn't expect authentic. But I did like the comic book design of the menu. Our server was nice. Came to fill our waters a lot. It wasn't busy for lunch during the day but I'm sure they're busier in the evenings. I found free parking behind the building, but there's a lot of parallel parking spots on the street.

I've been to Ninja City Kitchen many times in the past. I've never eaten inside and I've always ordered to go. I do want to plan a time to dine-in with friends for dinner one day. STEAM BUNS (5/5 stars but slightly expensive) -- Normally, I order their steam buns ($16.50) which come with four small pieces of steamed dough with your choice of protein. The steam buns are small enough where you can hold it in your hand and they are sooo tasty. Protein choices are chicken, tofu, shrimp (+$1), steak (+$1), or pork. The buns are topped with pickled carrot, radish, jalapeño, cilantro, scallions, and chili aioli. I normally get the steamed buns with shrimp which cost a $1 extra because of the shrimp. Take a look at my photos of the steam buns here on the Yelp page (the steam buns photos didn't link to this review for some reason). FRIED RICE WITH SHRIMP (2.5 or 3/5) -- For my most recent visit in June 2024, I ordered the Fried Rice ($16.50) with Shrimp (+$1) which cost $17.50 plus tax. I love fried rice and shrimp (fish) in general but this one here from Ninja City tasted very burnt. It was strange. I'm not sure if they used old ingredients when cooking this dish but something wasn't right at all. Maybe the soy sauce, if there was soy sauce in this, was different somehow? I remember biting into the fried rice and thinking how I would finish it when I didn't like the taste. Since this was a takeout order and I was already back in my car, I didn't want to turn around to return to the restaurant to complain so I ate as much as I could. I won't be ordering the fried rice again. The amount of food (little) you get compared to the price (high) may turn you off but try the food first -- I am referring here to the steam buns which are $16.50 plus a $1 if you add shrimp. I definitely recommend the steam buns with shrimp though but I don't recommend the friend rice with shrimp. **** GOAL of 150 reviews in 2024 - 85/150 total reviews in 2024 - 735 total overall Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 10 August 2024

Fun place to relax & enjoy modern takes on Asian food. Service was good & we were well taken care of. First time for eating a Korean corn dog. Yummy! Really liked the crunchy coating. The cocktail I ordered complimented the food I ate. The Holy Kumquats!!!! Sangria was a perfect choice for the foods I tried tonight. My friend & I split a few dishes so that we could save room for dessert. Glad we did! The fried ice cream was amazing! They have perfected the fried ice cream in my opinion. The food quality is awesome! We also enjoyed the Pad Thai & lettuce wraps. Will definitely eat here again! The prices are good here too.

Oh man, not sure if I just came on a bad day but tried this at the Van Aken Market and ordered the Miso Ramen. The noodles were so mushy and overcooked I couldn't even get through my meal. The toppings were cold as well, the mushrooms were raw. The broth was okay but on the saltier side. It's kind of like the person who made this never had a ramen in their life. Someone else in my party got the pho and also said their noodles were way overcooked. On top of it, their price for these noodle soups are expensive. Hopefully the other items on their dish are better..

Second time here, and I'm not sure I'll be back! Both times I've come here, my food has been pretty flavorless. I got the Miso Ramen Noodle Soup and it tastes like water. :( But the tots and ginger ketchup were great! My husband got the sandwich again and loved it! However, our water glasses were empty most of our dinner :(

Ambiance: This place has a cool comic-book vibe with a pretty wide smattering of Asian influences including chinese, korean, vietnamese and japanese cuisines. The staff are friendly and our food came out in a reasonable amount of time. They will text you when your food is ready so it's easy to roam about while you're waiting. Food: We ordered maybe some of the more fusion-centric items including the bahn mi which came with the togarashi tots, steamed bbq pulled pork buns, and a brown sugar bubble tea. The bahn mi gets some things right such as the do chua pickles and butter-mayo but uses a denser hoagie-style bun and roasted honey ham in it which is a little weird. It did not feel very "classic" despite being labeled as such and was inferior to the cold cuts or chashu of what you could get elsewhere. The side of tots were deliciously crunchy and the mild spice of the togarashi very enjoyable, however ours didn't come with the ginger ketchup of the full order (see pics) which made for a very dry experience. The steamed buns were the stronger dish with texturally-perfect pillowy buns, spicy jalapeno, and tasty pulled pork. The main complaint is that you only get about 2 teaspoons of pulled pork and it makes for a much less filling meal compared to the equally-priced bahn mi. Our bubble tea was the worst part of the meal, it tasted like watered down milk without any tea flavor or sweetness of brown sugar. The boba was also skimpy and overcooked. Inedible. Overall our meal was pretty lack-luster, I would have much rather gotten a bahn mi and steamed buns from Asia Town Center for a fraction of the price. I would be open to trying some of the more traditional items on the menu such as the rice and noodle dishes but am admittedly wary.

~ gluten-free review ~ I have grabbed takeout from Ninja City before however I wanted to compare that to the in person experience at the restaurant. Overall the space is cute and usually can sit down quickly. The staff is attentive and friendly as well which is great. I ordered the chicken pho and it was some of the best that I've had in Ohio! The togarashi tots were crispy and had good flavor and the ginger ketchup was yum. The only reason why I gave them 4 stars is because my friend's fried rice was very undercooked.

Great portions of food! They have soup, sandwiches, dumplings and more! The service is fast and easy and not much of a wait to get food. It's located in Van aken market hall so there is ample sitting inside or out. I loved everything I have gotten from here you just can't go wrong! Parking is easy, dog friendly and has good hours!

Expected worse, got about average. Nothing bad, but I think there can be potential! Ramen was just about good

3rd visit to this establishment and on a Saturday evening. We were seated immediately. Efficient service. Asian fusion. Had the bento box with spring roll, edamame and dumplings. Chilli garlic wings were flavorful and luckily didn't have the sweetness to the spicy sauce. The fried chicken was cooked well and went well with the spicy Mac and cheese. The red curry with shrimp was tasty. Pad Thai was a huge portion. The chai tea Manhattan drink was strong and the lychee mojito was not overtly sweet

This place rocks and it knows it. I love all the veg options and absolutely brilliant presentation of everything on the menu! The inside is colorful and artistic, with some odds and ends like arcade games and relics that caught my eye. I tried the steam buns and they were PHENOMENAL while my friend enjoyed her noodle salad. These guys never miss - check them out!

Great fun atmosphere. It's medium sized for a brewery and restaurant. But the fun atmosphere is key. The menu is like a comic book, really enjoyed looking at the menu. It would be a cool 1st date vibe. We got the Taro Spring Rolls, Steak Bimbibop, Steak Steam Buns, and Chasu Shoyu Ramen. The spring rolls came out piping hot and crispy with a soft savory white peppery and semi sweet filling. Highly recommend. The Bimbibop was savory and had a nice tart cut with the sauce that you can pour on it. The meat was tender and the kimchi was tender and slightly sour. I think it would've been better if it was spicier as it felt like it was missing a note to it. The buns were the highlight. Soft semi sweet fluffy bun. Made to perfection! The meat was tender and the pickled accompaniments gave it a good texture crunch difference. The sauce was perfectly made and paired well with the buns giving it a slight spicy taste to it. The Ramen was nicely made. The noodles where perfectly cooked and made fresh with a nice chew and soft texture. The meat was tender. And the soul was savory and. A little bit of saltiness to it. Overall it was a great experience. Would go there again but would ask for a bit more spicy if we can change the level.

Good food. Happy to see this style in the downtown area. I miss Noodlecat, but Ninja City has taken over nicely. I've had the miso, Vietnamese noodle salad with chicken and a ramen bowl. Both were very delicious and came piping hot. Servers were very friendly and ready to answer questions. Fun place.

Got the steam buns, and they were sooo good. Also, the delivery driver was very nice.

We actually left before being served because we had to wait ten minutes before anyone came to our table to attend to us. So it was just two of us on a slow day. There were two male bartenders that were chatting with each other the whole time. They didn't seem to care about doing their job and they did see us at our table. They even helped another table that came in after ys. The female bartender was helpful but very busy because she appeared to be the only one actually working. Hats off to her! The two bearded dudebros didn't care at all. So after ten minutes they gave us some menus and basically threw them at the table and walked away again. They need better management. Review synopsis: didn't eat cause they didn't give any care to serve us.

I really, really like their Tofu Pad Thai and that is what I order every single time I go because I'm a creature of habit like that sometimes. I've both dined in here and ordered takeout numerous times. The actual brick-and-mortar is nothing special other than the cool painting behind the bar, but it's at a great location in Gordon Square with a nearby free parking lot. They also have a patio which is open during warm months. I'm a big fan of their drink menu and they have Asian options such as bento boxes, dumplings, Korean lettuce wraps, pho, Vietnamese noodle salad, and banh mi on their food menu. They also have a couple of American classics like burgers and fries. Both times I brought my husband here, he was disappointed with his meals, but I will definitely continue to order their Pad Thai as my local comfort food again and again.

This location is annoying because I didn't realize that the University Circle one had closed a while ago so my drive was a lot longer than expected...there wasn't any parking either. They had high ceilings but not that many tables to sit. There was a little bar area which I think would be better converted to tables. I did love their menu but there was too much kimchi everywhere, lol. This is great if you love kimchi but I do not! While they do not have true tonkatsu or pork belly ramen, what they had was still pretty dang good. They did charge me for the tiny bit of red chili oil I asked for on the side. If there were more convenient locations, I might come back but as it stands, I don't feel the need to go out of my way to head up here.

Came down to hit Hausfrau Records and the local vintage shops. Decided to try Ninja City as the bar looked very inviting. Cool vibes in the bar, and we decided to stay for lunch. I had the Korean Rice Bowl bibimbap with brown rice. . It was delicious, I only added some of their chili garlic hot sauce. Needless to say I was a member of the clean plate club. Accompanied by an Octoberfest draft. My daughter had the spicy Mac n cheese with fried chicken. That chicken was insanely delicious with the cheddar in the sauce. Highly recommended. Great bartender and server were friendly and knowledgeable. Ample parking nearby. Definitely check it out!

My friend and I came here for Cleveland burger week, so I can only speak to this select menu, but I will definitely come back to try other items. The location is large and trendy with lots of open seating. They serve alcoholic mixed drinks, fun craft beers, and Mexican sodas. I ordered to pho burger, which was juicy, large, and perfectly cooked to order. Wait times were long but we came around 6:30 on a weeknight. Even so, we waited about an hour for our food and the place wasn't full - only about 1/4 full when we got there. Despite the wait, the food was delicious. My friend got the papaya salad that was crisp and sour/sweet - a perfect combination, and I had the tograshi tots - a huge portion that I had to take home. The restaurant was clean, servers were kind and attentive, and and ambiance was nice. I will definitely be back and will make it a point to check out their new location in Shaker.

Came during Burger week to try the Pho burger it was the best thing we had at our first visit. I ordered the lychee mojito and it tasted like there was no alcohol in it. My friend tried asking about a drink but only received a short answer from the waitress with no alternative recommendations. We also ordered the bento box to try some appetizers. All (potstickers, pork rangoon, egg roll) were burnt and tasteless without the aid of any sauce. The vibe of this place was pretty chill. A lot of comic book prints which makes it unique. I just expected more variety from an Asian fusion place. Seems like a limited menu with only the burger being a step in a different direction and it's limited time.

I've only ordered delivery but the food was great if expensive and scant. I purposely read reviews before hand as I was feeding a picky friend. I knew we could fill up on the lovely tatar tots. I wasn't wrong. They were plentiful and good. The next day they were pleasantly gummy out of the microwave as well.

We ordered takeout (online). The food was ready when I got there. Got home to eat, the food was delicious.

Very nice service, food came out really quick and was hot and fresh. The steamed buns were soft and pillowy with flavorful bbq pulled pork, chili aioli, bright and herby scallions and cilantro, jalapeños for some added spice, and pickled carrots and daikon to cut through the salty pork.

Killer stop in Cleveland! Close to the beach, homemade fries(if they aren't I'd die of shock), good price and cool little venue and menu. Diligent service and just a fun little area. Worth checking out. Loved the street corn and portion size of the fries. Will likely return if I'm in the area again.

Food and service were exceptional! I was hesitant at first based on location but I am so happy we stayed and ate, I couldn't get enough!!

Go here for some of the best ramen I've ever had!! We found this place because of tik tok. They have a steam bun challenge. We didn't do that, but the pulled pork steam buns are really good. Great flavor and so fluffy!! We've only gotten the ramen for an entree and it's amazing. Great flavors and good quality all around. The servers are clearly busier than normal, but they were quick and really nice. All around a good place. Really cool vibes and amazing ramen!!

Awesome ambiance, delicious food. Everyone loved their meal. Great beer list. We will definitely return.

Food was good. Not so much the wings. Staff was around. Not so much attentive. We had a super high visitor come and sit right next to my husband and wouldn't leave us alone. He tried leaving without paying lol. Bartender got him. But we didn't stay for more food after that.

I had a wonderful dining experience from start to finish - the owner is a sweetie as well. Outdoor dining only during COVID. I had edamame, spicy tots, gyoza & spring rolls for appetizers. Everything was delicious. For the main dish I had the banh mi sandwich & the spicy Mac&cheese with fried chicken. For dessert, the fried ice cream. Service was exceptionally well, the restaurant is clean & has a good interior and outdoor seating area. Good portion size for food, mixed drinks are strong. 10/10 all around

Fun, vibe and lots of great options on the menu! Stopped in before going to see a movie and will definitely go back again!!

I have never been here and it's a dive bar feel atmosphere and super cozy. The food is Asian fusion in a way and tastes delicious. I got the fried goyza (pork dumplings) and they were really big and the sauce you dipped it in had a great flavor. Then I got the fired rice with chicken which is such a large portion has left overs for lunch! I think I'll for sure be back to try their soups next time.

I cannot get enough of their Pho! Ever since I stumbled in there to get something to eat and had it, I've been ordering it again and again. I like the chicken the best. But there are other food is also amazing. I had their corn dog and street corn on the cob. Absolutely delicious! It's a cool restaurant too. Especially if you like superheroes or anime. The staff is great and the ambiance is casual. It's in a terrific location on Detroit in Lakewood. I'm pretty sure I'll be having the pho on a weekly basis.

Do you like when a restaurant is out of half the menu before the dinner rush even begins? Do you like trashy teenage line cooks in the back yelling profanities? Do you like food that ~kinda~ tastes like your favorite Asian dishes, and gives you explosive diarrhea? Then I've got just the establishment for you!!

Not for me. I've been a few times over the years and it's like I'm suffering from a bad case of amnesia which eventually turns into deja vu. Packets of sriracha and ketchup in soufflés? What's that all about? Broth smelled fishy, presentation was nice enough. Had a few bites, pushed the bowl aside. Check please. Drove to Five Guys to drown our sorrows in French fries. For some reason I keep forgetting that I can make better ramen at home and for half the cost too, don't believe me? I'll shoyu, son. Regrets.

Delicious "korn dog" freshly fried and savory with a nice sweet touch from powdered sugar for $7. The banh mi was better than any of the many I've had at every restaurant that sells them in Asia Town (Cleveland)!!! The huge hunk of pork belly is one of two meats on this well sauced nicely cilantro-ed soft roll. The cucumbers are thinly sliced and the jalapeño in perfect proportion. Seriously, it was divine even though it was $14.

The wings have a very good sauce and perfect crisp. Burger was a solid 7.3. Burger patty was good would have maybe liked it cooked a little more closer to medium rare . The sauces on the burger are good and bun reminded me of a better version of a Wendy's bun . Bacon needed to be crispier . But overall a solid burger but worth the 16.5 price tag . Fries seasoned well and the ginger ketchup was solid .

Asian fusion food done just how it's supposed to be. It's in a great location just by the heart of Gordon square, and the space is very casual. Would definitely recommend it to anyone in the area. I would like to see some sort of other vegan/vegetarian substitute other than tofu.

It's been AGES since I felt I could give a restaurant a 5/5. This restaurant is absolutely a 5/5. The food was incredibly fresh and flavorful. The buns were as good as I've ever had. The salad with vermicelli noodles was absolutely spot on tasty. The comic book theme made me smile and the staff were exceptional. YES YES YES!!! Worth the 1.5 hour drive!

In general I am a fan of Ninja City, but this review is specifically for their participation in Cleveland Burger Week. I arrived right after work and was able to score street parking right outside and quickly get a spot at the bar before the madness of dinner rush started. For service, it's not really personable like warm hello's and friendly smiles, but they get the job done. I was still greeted and got everything I needed in a timely manner with no issues. I tend to have resting b*tch face so the bartender could have just been afraid of me. The special $5 Pho burger had good flavor, it's just that the meat was cooked to medium well (all gray). I personally think still having pink and juicy meat would have made the burger taste better. So not ranked at the top for me, but still a good burger I suggest everyone stop by and try. I also enjoyed the Korean street corn $5.95 that is available for a limited time and the "grounds for divorce" drink $7. Ninja offers happy hour pricing and 10% off if you stop there before seeing a show at Blank Canvas Theatre! (Currently The Toxic Avenger is playing). I love it when local businesses support each other!

I recently dined in at Ninja City for the first time (my previous experiences with the restaurant were carryout during the lockdown). FANTASTIC! I loved the bahn mi, my dinner companion loved the miso ramen, and we started with the pot stickers which were also excellent. The service was relaxed yet attentive. Definitely excellent service! We will be back (many times)!

They have kiosk at Tower City. Fantastic sandwiches, salads and more. Eat there your tummy will love you for it. As an entertainer hard to find a quick bite in town. Glad I stopped in today's Bob Zap Entertainment

I love this place! Such a cool vibe and bar area inside. Their menu is very creative with an Asian spin on everything. The chicken and waffles were incredible!!!

I love this place! Such a cool vibe and bar area inside. Their menu is very creative with an asian spin on everything. The chicken and waffles were incredible!!

Recently moved back to my hometown of Cleveland after over a decade away. I am blown away by the growing food scene in Gordon Square. My husband and I were tempted to try Ninja City during Burger Week (which, by the way, is genius marketing and an amazing deal) and the burger at Ninja City looked awesome. We split the burger and an order of wings and were not disappointed. The Pho Burger that they offered (for only $6!!) during burger week was dynamite and the wings had a delicious sauce on them - honey wasabi. The rest of the menu looked tasty and creative. My husband and I can't wait to come back to eat more of the great Asian fusion offerings here.

We always love coming here. The best red curry noodle soup around. Service is always good. Friendly staff. And we love the atmosphere. The Gordon Square area is lovely.

Favorite place in Gordon square. Love the theme, city wides, food is killer. Miss the old location but love it here. For sure recommend

Got the Shoyu Ramen and Korean Rice Bowl. Broth in the Ramen was too salty, to the point that I had to add some water to dilute a little. Korean Rice Bowl seemed like it was just thrown together, flavors weren't quite hitting for me for what I expect when eating Korean. I will say the noodles and the veggies were good in the ramen. But overall was not a big fan.

I've been here ever time I've visited Cleveland. The BBQ pork steam buns and tots are top notch. Other items, like the banh mi, pad thai, lettuce wraps are nothing to write home about. Get the steam buns and the tots, though. You won't be sorry.

Spice is relative so keep that in mind if you order the green curry. Mine was delicious but smoking hot. The Mexican street corn was delicious. My husband's mac & cheese with the crispy chicken was yummy. My niece's red curry bowl was perfect. Staff was friendly and a bit laissez-faire. Open atmosphere with a limit menu inside a comic book. All in all nice local establishment.