[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nestled in the West Erie Plaza, Bar Ronin is a hidden gem that blends big city vibes with warm hospitality, offering an unforgettable dining experience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The graffiti-inspired décor adds a dynamic, urban feel, but it's the exceptional service and inventive menu that truly stand out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] At the heart of Bar Ronin's appeal is its food--a fusion of Latin and Asian flavors that elevates Erie's culinary scene. The menu changes seasonally, ensuring fresh and creative offerings. Highlights include the crispy fried chicken karaage with togarashi and lime, thick-cut pepperoni & chorizo fried buns with wasabi ranch, and the light yet flavorful shishito peppers with yuzu and seven-spice togarashi. For a more indulgent bite, the ginger-pork gyoza with A5 wagyu fat XO is a must-try. Seafood fans will love the shrimp ceviche on crispy fried potato with caviar, while the A5 Miyazaki-Gyu Japanese Wagyu, seared on a hot stone with mustard ponzu, offers a truly decadent experience. For heartier plates, the roasted pork belly ramen and crab donburi--my personal favorite--deliver rich, satisfying flavors. Bar Ronin's inventive cocktails perfectly complement the food, with bold, balanced drinks that cater to every palate. My personal favorite is the Lonely Rōnin, a smooth mix of Nikka Coffey grain whiskey, Carpano Antica, Aperol, orange blossom honey, and reduced white balsamic--rich and complex with a perfect balance of sweetness and depth. Another fun option is the Empress Rickey, made with Empress gin, elderflower, lemon, and a citrus bubble that literally pops--both a showstopper and a delicious treat. A standout feature is Bar Ronin's late-night menu, a rarity in Erie, featuring small plates like crispy tempura and yakitori skewers, perfect for satisfying late-night cravings. My husband and I often stop in to enjoy this menu after attending the Erie Philharmonic or a late movie. With its ever-evolving fusion menu, outstanding food, inventive cocktails, and hard-to-find late-night bites, Bar Ronin is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking a vibrant, one-of-a-kind culinary journey in Erie. Don't miss this extraordinary experience! read more

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Prepare yourselves... this one is going to be long! Stopped in on a Friday night around 9:20! Seated super quick right away (this is awesome!)... super dissatisfied with overall experience. Right off the bat the server was trying her best to up the spend amount... consistently asked do you want cocktails (easily asked around 3-4 times). We started off with the Fried Chicken Karaage... best thing we had all night @ 7/10. With this strong start assumed that the rest of the food would be somewhat impressive. Again asked us 2-3 times do you want anymore apps. All right let's move onto main plates... we ordered the Japanese Prawn Scampi, Winter Vegetable Curry, Kombu & Carmelized XO noodles, and lastly the Brussels sprouts. Bonus: they made us some "vegetable lo mein" Japanese Prawn Scampi was probably the best main plate but there was nothing unique... I've had better shrimp dishes at this price point. The scampi lacked acid, somewhat on the sweet side. Nice attempt but not all the way there... I would give it 5/10. The sticky rice it came with was good though... 10/10. Winter vegetable curry was nothing special... super bland and tasteless. No flavor or aromatics. 4/10... cauliflower looked sad. Some of the squash was burnt! Kombu & Caramelized XO noodles... we had to send this back because the waiter and the menu failed to mention the XO sauce had ham (haram for Muslims, and one guest in our party happened to be Muslim). I know traditionally XO sauce has ham, but anytime I have had it here in the U.S. it's been without pork... even at super authentic restaurants. I'm gonna say 50% waiters fault for not asking about dietary restrictions + 50% ours. Anyways this gets a 0 cause it was not worth $14 regardless of the pork. To "fix" their mistake a "Vegetable Lo mein" was brought out with a side of a back handed compliment... the person who brought it out said "I like what you're doing here just trying to try the whole menu." This vegetable lo mein was off menu. The noodles were chewy and the proportion of noodles to vegetables was not appropriate imo. WAAAY TOO MUCH SOY SAUCE...I would give it 3/10. The Brussels sprouts were drenched in oil and didn't need the load of Parmesan on top. So 1/10? The decor of this restaurant is really awesome and the space they've created is very unique here in Erie... it's a shame the food sucks! Would I come back here again... most likely not... maybe just apps and drinks. *This was my second time... first time I just went for the late night food and that too was a joke... $7 for a regular school cafeteria grilled cheese . I had high hopes after the appetizer but I was disappointed. read more

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I don't even know where to start. I found this place on Yelp when I was searching for some good eats in the Erie PA area for my work trip. I booked this about 3 weeks out because it gave me a vibe that I would possibly be a fool for not booking this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Upon entering the establishment, I was already excited by the giant wooden door that you entered in.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Staff was l extremely friendly and calm, I couldn't ask for a better experience. The food blew me away. I got to try a handful of appetizers and I was blown away by every one of them. The food was 5 stars for sure. I got the crab donburi, 'fish and chips', chicken salt pomme frites, ginger-pork gyoza and some drinks, the kyoto daze. I am looking forward to returning here more than anything! I am coming back here for work in September and already have my reservation in line :) read more

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Big fan of Chef Dan Kern since I met him at 1201 on State Street. Rōnin is a unique & amazing vibe and the food is great. The famous Lucy Burger is amazing and I also highly recommend the Ramen. For a totally different, and also excellent alternative, don't sleep on Lucero, a tapas-style experience right next door & connected via a hallway. Just go there. Virgil's Plate read more

Just excellent and unique! Can't say enough about this fun and hip establishment. So glad that we went and enjoyed our meal and atmosphere. A favorite of my daughter so while visiting her in Erie we partook of some of their new menu offerings. It was all delicious and I'm certain we will be back soon! read more

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Bar Rōnin feels far from Erie and true to itself. I enjoyed their selection of vegan options; the roasted cauliflower & golden curry was exceptional on every level (plating, freshness...) and the roasted white Japanese sweet potato was insane. I especially appreciated the decór and its customization! Rōnin leather placemats, Rōnin plates...the entire concept is such an experience in the fullest sense of the word. I liked the open kitchen concept, the drink menu seemed good and reasonably priced. Big fan and hope this succeeds. read more

Bar Rōnin - Japanese Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

TLDR; delicious food, good service, very pricey Checked this place out the other week, I love that it gives you the vibes as if you are in the big city. Dim lighting, modern hipster decoration style with the graffiti wall and unique custom-made tablewares. I tried a couple of dishes and was very impressed, taste-wise and presentation-wise. Fried chicken karaage: tasty, was fried to crispy and served with tonnato aioli and togarashi which I think goes well together, a good twist instead of regular Japanese mayo. Wild salmon tataki: I love love love this dish, the fish was fresh and the ponzu sauce was delicious, although, my only complaint is the small portion that I do not think it is worth the price Lucy burger: nothing can go wrong with short rib burger that comes with cheddar cheese, caramelized onion and special sauce Triple pork + triple garlic ramen: I had a very high expectation for this dish as a ramen lover, though I have to say if you are looking for something traditional this is not for you. They offer a fusion style of pork ramen which taste good, but I also find that the portion offered, with 2 small pieces of pork belly chashu and chorizo are not worth $24. Please let me know what you guys' thought are on this dish. Kombu & caramelized XO noodles: I quite like this one, this dish is a version of dry noodle with xo sauce, no meat. This place offer variety of drinks which I did not have a chance to try. I have to say that I love the atmosphere and food here but I think it is pretty over-priced, plus 2% Back of the House service charger is also added to every bill, which I do not know what to feel about this, share your thoughts with me. Definitely recommend if you want a place to hangout with friends to grab a drink or two. read more

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We ordered some dishes for sharing. and almost every dish was tasty: beef shortribs, dan dan noodle, curry, etc. I like the gyoza, miso cod the most. read more

Very trendy food spot in Erie. We had a reservation and we're seated right away. The food was a bit pricey, but delicious. Our server Katara was very attentive and kind, and even ran out to give us our leftovers we accidentally forgot. Highly recommended if you want a nice night out to treat yourself read more

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We are regulars, as we love chef Dan. But Ronin keeps churning out amazing depth of flavor, and beautifully composed dishes. I loved the duck confit donburi with the succulent roasted duck leg, with the hidden sauce under the perfect rice. With the perfect pop of acid in the contrasting marinated cucumber. And the new triple garlic stir fried noodles is an umami bomb perfect for drinking! Not hot spicy but luscious and savory. read more

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This is IT! I am so glad that we found this needle in a haystack! The space is large, and full of graffiti like art work and floral arrangements hanging from the ceiling. We ate dinner here in a Tuesday night at the bar with a colleague and it was amazing from start to finish. We ordered 2 starters, entrees and sides. The fried chicken and French fries with dipping sauce medley was perfection. Hot fresh and full of flavor. I had the pork belly and it was a large portion, somewhat fatty smothered in squash with a side of broccolini. I love the pork belly and broccolini but the squash was not to my liking. My colleague has the brisket and I got a small taste and I can admit I instantly wished that I ordered that. The spinach was underwhelming just a bowl of cold spinach with a garnish. The staff was friendly and attentive, I would recommend this place if you're in the area; I'll definitely be back. read more

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This is a great place on so many levels. BAR RŌNIN is a dream realized by Dan Kern and Adam Williams. We had one of our best dining experiences here. This is upper-crust-level dining in Erie, PA. The food is fantastic. The ambience is cool and contemporary. The menu and drinks are all quality. BAR RŌNIN is an izakaya, a Japanese small plates experience, a place to get an excellent drink, in a a casual atmosphere, with high-quality food. Dan Kern is best know for his great restaurants in the Erie area like 1201 Kitchen and Noosa. This new opening revives some of the Asian-focused dishes of those other excellent former restaurants and kicks them up a notch. We started with a couple of great cocktails--a cherry blossom festival special slow gin fizz and the Left Hand--a Manhattan-esque drink with chocolate bitters. As appetizers, we had the pork belly gyoza and seared A5 Miyazaki-Gyu Japanese Wagyu. The gyoza were tender with an XO sauce and chili crunch (chili crunch is a chili oil with chili crunchies that are all the rage in Asian restaurants). Delicious! The Wagyu beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender and served on a searing hot stone. For the main course, we had Crispy Shortrib, which was a beef shortrib, braised in a shoyu (soy sauce) based braise and then seared to create extra caramelization. So good! We also shared the Kombu & Caramelized XO Noodles. Both dishes were perfection. We finished our night with a single-malt 12-year Yamazaki whiskey--the perfect night cap for a perfect meal. This restaurant is a winner and great addition to the Erie food scene. This is a hip, cool, and casual upscale dining experience that you won't want to miss. Great for taking out client that you want to impress, a special occasion with friend and loved ones, or a date with your special someone. We will be coming back many times in the near future. read more

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Absolutely DO NOT recommend this place. I made a reservation for three people EIGHT DAYS in advance for seats at the kitchen bar. We arrived early and were planning to go to the bar, but the hostess said she already had our table set up. Expecting to be taken straight to the kitchen bar, we followed her instead to a strange back room with a long table that looked like the back room kiddie table at a family reunion. It was in a room with ZERO decor. We were to be seated at the end of a table that was going to have others also seated at it. When I asked why we were not going to be seated at the kitchen bar, I got some odd story about a system glitch and how they somehow got overbooked and that "the system" doesn't show who made reservations first. Then they said we could be seated at the kitchen bar, but instead of having the two-hour time that we reserved, we'd have to eat and leave in an hour. We went to the bar to have a drink while they (supposedly) tried to figure something out. I doubt they tried to accommodate us at all, because some other woman then asked if we wanted to eat at the bar. When we said no, we wanted to eat where we reserved a place to eat, we got the same "system glitch" story as before along with total attitude. She also said that eating at the bar "is the same" as eating at the kitchen bar, that there is "no show" or anything when you sit at the kitchen bar. If that is true, then why even bother making reservations for it? We went to this restaurant planning to spend over $300 on a nice dinner with our daughter. Instead, we were treated like we were nothing. That's ok though. I now know where to not ever bother trying to spend my money again. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]A pretty cool aesthetic on the inside: modern and industrial.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For Erie , this is a unique place to eat. [[HIGHLIGHT]]But the energy was very lackluster . It was NOT the vibe that we thought it would be[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . The food matched the vibe. Our server asked if we had been there before , we said no and expected some level of insight . Instead our server said , "ok cool let me know if you have questions " and walked away. We were there for a birthday and were looking forward to trying out a lot in the menu . The food runner brought our food over and said, "salmon?" My partner said "oh that's me" she put it down and then put my food down . She Walked away without another word or a smile or anything... almost like a stereotypical school cafeteria worker. The food is described with few, simple yet Complex ingredients. You'd think each ingredient would be a stand out , knock out., star of the plate . It definitely was not ! The salmon was a hefty size compared to other restaurants , which was a great thing. But there was no flavor to it whatsoever. Nothing reminiscent of salt and pepper , or the "sweet and Smokey soy" they described it as. It was basically low sodium chicken broth. Not sure if it was grilled like it was supposed to be ... it looked and tasted baked .... Maybe even boiled in plain water . It was soft and the skin was mushy. The smoked chicken ramen... meh ‍ rotisserie chicken from Walmart is more complex tasting . I'm not sure If the smoker was broken . The best part was the corn and cilantro , since it was the only things with flavor . I like a little bit of heat with my food and i was going to ask to tone it down a bit because the ramen was supposed to have "spicy ají " in it.... It was nowhere to be found. This would be great for someone who thinks bottled water is too seasoned. Didn't make any fuss about it but when the server asked how everything was , while also in movement away from us i said "it's ..... okay?" He said "good glad to hear it " I do want to end with some positive notes : the eggplant appetizer was plated well and tastes great. It was a very good start... like the beginning experience Of the titanic. The fries were good .... We were told they are just regular frozen fries . They were ! No disappointment . The dipping sauces were a nice little touch : different aiolis . Not sure why this was on such a limited menu tho ... and so cheap ! 4.50 . I really don't mean to be rude . But it was disappointing all around . We skipped on a second round of drinks and passed on dessert. I wouldn't have minded paying the $100 for 1/10 of the food we got ... if it were something different than .... That. read more

I had a private event here last night and it was excellent, from start to finish. The planning process with Emily was seamless and easy. Everyone raved about the food. The service was great ! Ambiance was beautiful. I highly recommend if you're in Erie! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Love being here.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Bartender is friendly. Drinks good. I wish that they had more vegetarian options.

You walk in and feel transported. Asian decor with neon lights that reminded me of Tokyo nightlife. We arrived late after dinner service to enjoy drinks and snacks at the bar. The bartenders were very friendly! We each ordered a cocktail and shared a chirashi bowl. The cocktails were delicious and the bowl hit the spot for late night snacking. We then finished with sake, which tasted smooth but was very strong (for me ). We will definitely be back for dinner and to try more of their cocktails. read more

Bar Rōnin - Japanese Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

One of the best foodie places in town Hip fusion menu with consistent updated menu that will bring you back read more

Visited Bar Ronin for lunch with a friend on a Wednesday at about 1:30 PM. The place is clean and has accessible tables available for handicap patrons. The waiter seated up swiftly, and we had the sparce luncheon menus in our hands in no time. We both opted for the sandwich wrap, a delicious choice! Price is the drawback here. Very expensive for a sandwich wrap, but then what isn't these days? read more

Bar Ronin.... Moving from a bigger city such as Austin/Chicago to a smaller town it's super difficult finding a restaurant that's different and unique. After looking around online bar ronin immediately caught my attention so my family and I decided to try it out and drove from an hour away to check it out. When you enter the place the ambience and vibe takes you to a different world and I will say they have a nice setup with the graffiti on the walls and an open kitchen. My family and I began by ordering some apps and drinks. When the apps came every dish was well presented, but as they say looks can deceive. Most of the items we tried were on the saltier side. Not all was bad however I did enjoy the chicken karaage but the salmon crudo with chips and couple others was a no go for me. Each dish was on the border of being over seasoned so I implore the chef to start trying some of the items going out or before service. Finally we ordered entrees and this is the reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 3. For entrees I ordered the short ribs and my wife the pork belly as they came recommended. The Pork belly came out tender was well presented and my wife said it was pretty good and as for me I had the short rib. When this dish came out it looked like someone had forgotten it in the oven and piled my plate with shredded beef. Being in the food industry for over 20 years I've never cooked or had short ribs in this manner. Braised short ribs should be fork tender not pulled pork style. The only good part of the dish was the nicely cooked asparagus at the bottom. For $34 though this dish was a major letdown. I am not sure if this was purposely cooked in this manner or not but don't get this dish. You'll be disappointed. I really think this place has potential but for now I'm staying away. On a positive note the service was good. read more

INITIAL IMPRESSION: Tried to book a reservation online for 4 people in the main dining room. There was no availability at 5:30 so I waited until doors opened to call, still nothing. We were seated on corner of "kitchen bar" which is not an exciting active sushi bar but a view of the line stations. We were there from 5:30-7 and two four tops were vacant the entire time. This is the classic "unavailable" tactic that some places used in the 90s to keep desirability and the facade of demand up ATMOSPHERE: 2/5 Clean Japanese minimal. The actual bar area is vibey but the dining room is cold and uninviting. Weird "pseudo-urban" Tokyo underground. All graffiti and no neons. Overall boring and cold. Bass heavy music. FOOD: 2/5 $35 Prawn Donburi 0 stars: This dish would have been edible if the menu was honest. There was absolutely no use of "mustard" ponzu. Instead they used an unlisted ingredient which was a nasty aoli. There were 4 tablespoons of cheap mayonnaise mixture that made the entire dish taste like a Big Mac. Prawn pieces were cooked perfectly. Salmon belly and ahi were fresh. Rice was properly cooked. But that aoli shit cheapened everything. Additionally there were no "pickles" nor anything pickled for that matter. Shorty Stack 5 stars: This appetizer was the only thing worth eating. Amazing potato pave topped with a generous dollop of beautifully braised pulled pork. Garnished with succulent briny black caviar. XO Noodles 2 stars: Basic yakisoba noodles, fresh from a plastic packet. Caramelized onions and a rich butter taste. Heavy use of oil. Nothing special and no sesame of any kind. Nice alcohol selection and fairly well balanced cocktails. PRICE: 1/5 Astronomical cost for the ingredients used and the poor wait staff. People here are willing to pay because no one in this town has heard of half the ingredients listed so they think it's unique. Wait staff is unfamiliar with the dishes and ingredients. Classic pretentious Erie. SERVICE: 1/5 When we asked the server about the Prawn Donburi ingredient she first acted like it was the ponzu. We probed her further and she didn't know so she had to ask their expeditor. He told her it was aoli which she relayed to us. We said it was not listed and we would not have ordered it if it were. She stated defensively "well everyone else loves it." Also she said "not every ingredient is listed." When it's the third most heavily used ingredient AND a common allergen you would think it would be listed. The "ponzu" was not even there in the slightest. She saw the dish was partially eaten and did not offer us any sort of resolution. She was more offended than helpful or understanding and I wish we would have pushed her more. She had the power to turn our experience around. Extremely slow with water refills. SAFETY: 1/5 I witnessed a line cook touching his face and playing with his mustache with bare hands, before digging into food to drop in their rapid boiler. read more

Amazing and creative food. Good wine service and a great bar. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Really a hip place to hang out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

My friend and me came here to try something different in Erie. It is in a old shopping plaza that has been reimagined into a nicer retail area. It is next to a cupcake shop and some other mid to high end boutique stores. The place definitely passed the vibe check on a Friday night. Make reservations before trying to go. We arrived early because we do not live in town and we're were told we would have to wait the hour til our reservation time occurred. This is important to know because it was after 7 and most of the stores nearby were closed or starting to close. We killed some time and came back 15 mins before our reservation time. Hostess checked us in and told us to get a drink at the bar while we waited. There is only one bench in the front for waiting so not a lot of places to sit if you have a big party. The only negative mark I have is I stood near the bar for fifteen minutes card with my credit card in hand for none of the three bartenders to acknowledge me. I say this because the woman who was seated with her companion to my right was asked by the bartender if she wanted another pour of wine near the end of that wait. Yes, it was busy but it was a little frustrating. (Also I did not feel the name of the Mr Bojangles drink was appropriate from my perspective as a person of color.) Hostess seated us at the kitchen area bar. It was nice to watch the chefs prepare dishes as it helped me visual some of the dishes. We had a nice server KC who recommended some very good drinks. She was positive and very helpful. It was refreshing after the issue at the bar earlier. The empress Rickey was actually great for a non-gin drinker. The place was seated with a lot of people on dates. Tables were spaced out. Noise levels were moderate but not so high you couldn't talk to your friends. I would put this place as a high end restaurant for Erie. The prices are high, but it's on par with some of the Japanese style restaurants in Buffalo (Misto Chows) or Pittsburgh (Umami). It has a great mix of casual diners in jeans and those dressed like they are on date night. The chicken kaarage is a must here. We got two orders of it. Definitely would say this is place to go with the small plates and split them. Not a lot in the way of sushi or sashimi for those looking for it. If you wanted to impress a date without going to either Pittsburgh, Buffalo, or Cleveland; this is a great spot to checkout. *Of note, there is a cupcake ATM with a sliding door to the right of Bar Ronin. Check it out before you go in to see if they have any treats you might want to take home later. Unfortunately for us the ATM sold out of some of the smaller items earlier in the day. read more

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Been to Bar Ronin numerous times since it opened. Really appreciate the drink and food menu changing seasonally. Always great food options whether during normal dining hours or the late night menu read more

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I really wanted to like this place because it came highly recommended but the pumpkin curry was truly disgusting and tasted burnt. I can't believe they are serving that to people. I gave two stars because the drinks and service were great. read more

Chef Dan always puts on a great menu and the creativity of the drinks is amazing. Best ramen in North West PA.

Went with family. Overall, food was average and a bit pricey. I ordered the steak on a plate with xo noodles. I noticed that all of their sauces were very salty and overpowered the other flavors. We tried the chicken appetizer and the dumplings. The chicken appetizer was pretty good, but the dumplings were not good. My wife ordered the butter noodles. They came with chicken skin in the dish, which my wife was not a fan of. Ambiance was good though. read more

Bar Rōnin - Xo noodles - Japanese Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

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Literally everything was so delish. Prime rib was probs my favorite, very cool ambiance read more

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Bar Rōnin = where the concept of a contemporary Japanese Izakaya comes to life and elevates the food scene in Erie! Pictured are a few dishes we got a chance to try! Highly recommend sitting in the private lounge area, especially if you're part of a large group! read more

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Came here when I came in town to meet friends. The server was sooo slow and frankly clueless. Not being mean but she couldn't answer any questions. I had a shellfish allergy, and she told me I could only have 3 things. If that's true then I blame the chef for using shellfish in things that are vegetarian as those plates weren't named. I had to keep asking as it was clear she wasn't paying attention. The drinks were great but took forever to the point we would get one and order another. It wasn't that busy to take 20min plus go get a drink. Had to keep asking for water, she maybe came over every 30mins. Overall was unimpressed especially for the cost and the service. Bummer as as heard such great things. I won't be back unfortunately. Food wise for the onion dip, was ok. Very small and lacked flavor. Wanted the pork goyza but told it had shellfish. Did the 4ox Waygu on stone and it was so fatty it was not good. I've had Waygu and never had it not been tender and melt in your mouth, this was chewy and massive chunks of fat. Brussels were good but needed to be crispier. Fries were the best thing I had with the pomegranate margs. read more

Definitely not the typical Erie restaurant and something that Erie has been missing. Progressive food menu that rotates. Excellent cocktails that are a work of art. Unique vibe. Everything I had was excellent and I will be back! read more

Bar Rōnin - Japanese Near Me - Erie, Pennsylvania

Service is awesome, food was delicious the layout of the restaurant is modern & extremely clean. read more

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Outstanding culinary experience! Creative and delicious cocktails. Excellent customer service!