Very delicious meal, everyone in our party was happy with everything, excellent outdoor seating, and prompt service.

First. Kuma Ani is not a full service restaurant. There is limited indoor seating (wooden booth tables along one wall). There is outdoor seating when the weather is good for that. But this is Albany y'all. So, you know. Outdoor dining is not a year round kinda thing. You order your food at the counter and then grab a seat/booth. Your food will be brought to you as it comes out. You bus your own table when you are done. Drinks are in bottles you choose when you place your order. The kitchen is, in effect, in the same room as the seating. This is a small place with a small staff and you can see them making everything fresh, to order, a few feet away while you wait for your food. If you follow along here at all you might know that this is PRECISELY the kind of spot I like. The kind of spot I like to support: people working hard, with each other as a team, turning out delicious food from scratch with fresh ingredients. Kuma Ani is a small, local "chain" (3 locations in Albany). And I'm kind of down with that kind of business model in the restaurant world. Keep it small. Keep it local. There are three types of dishes on offer at Kuma Ani; Donburi (over rice); Ban Mein; and Ramen. I had Ramen. I definitely plan on going back to try others, so stay tuned! I wanted Ramen in part because I have been sick for two weeks (so far) with a cold/upper respiratory situation. I wanted a big bowl of hot, spicy, delicious dinner. I do not eat beef, pork or poultry. I do eat seafood. You can order a Ramen off the menu and add to it or you can build your own. I ordered the Vegan Ramen. VEGAN RAMEN Y'ALL. I asked for my Ramen to be spicy and I added fried tofu and fresh cilantro. Were I less sick and if I actually had a voice (it's GONE right now and that is making it a bit more challenging for me to communicate with people...) I would have modded up my Ramen more. I also ordered Shumai, fried (you can get them steamed as well) and I grabbed a container of Kimchi from the drink cooler at the register. I ate all my Kimchi while I waited for my other food. Totally good. Not overly spicy. So safe for most people. IMO. I'm pretty sure it was vegetarian. I did not ask, but I also did not taste any fish in it. Fried Shumai were also good with a delicious dipping sauce. There were 6, but I forgot to take a pic until after I'd already eaten 3. #fail My bowl of Ramen was very good. When I've had Ramen other places the bowls are INSANELY large. As if you kind of have to hurt yourself to finish it (which I do, but I don't necessarily recommend that approach...). This was a perfectly large bowl of Ramen, but not obscenely large. IMO. Very tasty broth. I think next time I'll ask for "extra spicy." My fried tofu was little squares deep fried tofu. At first I thought they were kind of over fried. But that does allow you to completely submerge them in your tofu and have them still be cubes. I got plenty of cilantro! The bowl contained corn, cabbage, shitake mushrooms, scallions, carrots and Baby Tok Choy. I definitely felt like I got a well rounded meal! My noodles were not Ramen noodles. They were Vermicelli. Which I like a lot. But I was surprised by? Also I think I might have missed a "noodle option" in my slightly impaired by sickness ordering... And then! I went to sleep and felt GREAT. I mean I wasn't healed by this Ramen. But I'd pay for that delightful night's sleep any time...being able to breathe freely and all. read more

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I ordered the Birria ramen and added extra spice and bean sprouts. So flavorful and excellent spice. We live a bit away from here but will be back to pick up more takeout ramen in the future! The gyoza were very good too. read more

Kuma Ani - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

We enjoyed our visit to Kuma Ani. Upon stepping inside, we were warmly welcomed by a friendly staff. The woman at the counter graciously explained the menu items to us and displayed genuine enthusiasm in assisting us with our order. Opting for the "build your own ramen bowl" proved to be a great decision! Everything tasted great, the portions were huge and the prices are very reasonable. A helpful suggestion: For those who prefer milder flavors, I recommend choosing a spice rating of 0-1 on their spice scale. As for myself, I ventured into the "level 2" territory. I enjoy spicy food and I found it to be pretty hot! read more

Kuma Ani - Ramen bowl - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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Have been back many times since and it is always incredible. Have tried a lot of versions of vegan ramen by making my own combos and every time it's been so flavorful, with fresh veggies, and the tofu is crisp even though it's in broth! Can't recommend this place enough. read more

the broth for the curry chicken ramen was very flavorful! it was counter service and they bring you your food, which was ideal for me because i don't like having people check on me constantly. the staff was very friendly and helpful. i wish the chicken had flavor other than chicken; i much preferred the noodle part of the ramen. the chicken on the bun also didn't have much flavor, and neither did the bun itself. overall though it was very good and everyone at my table finished their food. read more

Kuma Ani - chicken buns, curry chicken ramen - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

I found this place a few months ago and it is splendid! Fresh, excellent food at a reasonable price and friendly staff. What more can you ask for? read more

Staff friendly found restaurant by looking at yelp. Ordered take out 2 days in a row oh my gosh the best Ultimate tonkusa ramen. Enjoyed every bite. I live 2 hours south & wish we had this restaurant here. Bought the 2nd days to go home placed in my hot cooler & warmed the broth up for dinner . Rave reviews by all. Next time I travel to Albany this will definitely be a stop. read more

Stopped by for an early lunch after a doctor's appointment and they are open for takeout and dine in (indoor and outdoor). I had my tonkotsu miso broth with mushrooms, corn, and marinated egg and it was very satisfying as usual. They are taking the proper precautions with hand sanitizer, social distancing, masks, etc. and I ate outside since it was a breezy morning. There was only one other group and they also dined outside. This wasn't quite lunch hour yet, but I can see that potentially being problematic since this is such a small space. The service here is very friendly and welcoming. They have a few new menu items including gluten free options and spicy cold noodles. read more

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I liked this place! The tonkatsu broth didn't wow me -- it didn't have that really unctuous mouth feel and deep pork flavor I was hoping for -- but the noodles themselves were great, and I'd come back just for another of those perfect eggs. The pork on top was a bit on the dry side, but nice and flavorful. The gyudon was really tasty with plenty of melt-in-your-mouth beef. The fried chicken app was essentially the same as popcorn chicken you'd get anywhere else, but I'm not sure what I was expecting getting fried chicken at a ramen spot. The location benefits a lot from gigantic windows and cute wooden booths, though I'm not sure I'd personally want to eat on a patio with a romantic view of the traffic on Wolf Road. Overall I'd def come here again if I was craving ramen while in the area: this is a solid choice for a tasty, fast meal with friendly service in a pleasant environment, if not ramen that will make my list for best I've ever had. read more

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Meh bean sprouts were canned noodles looked like packaged noodles. Not very good food

Now I know what all the hype is about! We each got different types of ramen and we were all more than happy. The pork buns were huge. Although there are only two, so could be hard to share. My only complaint was some of the use of single-use plastic/paper products. Not sure why not everything came on a real plate. Also this location is very casual which is fine, but you order up front and they deliver to your table, but no real table service. Again, not much of that matters for how good the food is! read more

Kuma Ani - Pork buns - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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Great ramen for the price in the Colonie area! You can build your own bowl from different stocks, add one central topping and 3 extra. Noodles are made in house, and you can taste the quality. It also has that Kuma Ani vibe if you ever went to the New Scotland avenue location; over there they specialize in sushi, so it's nice to see them expanding. I would definitely recommend this place to any Otaku, Asian cuisine enthusiast, or someone who just wants a quick bite. I've included a picture of my custom fish broth tofu ramen. Noodles were firm, the tofu was crisp, and the carrots are shaved to mix well with the noodles. I'm definitely adding this meal to the "clean plate club." So sarap! read more

Kuma Ani - Tofu ramen - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

Yes, I've eaten sushi for years and enjoyed it, but I'm not an expert on Japanese food. However, when in Ramen do as the Ramen do! I guess that's eat ramen. Seriously though, I think I've eaten made-from-scratch ramen maybe seven times before tonight, prepared by five different chefs. My first experience, although I considered it very good at the time, was probably more Americanized than any of the others. My second experience was powerfully good and cause enough for me to seek out its creator Chef two more times after having a mediocre experience on my third introduction to ramen. Kuma Ani is right up there with the ramen preparations that I've enjoyed the most. Nice rich and flavorful broths, plenty of noodles, and I understand that they actually make their own noodles in-house with a machine that they imported from Japan. My wife ordered the Spicy Tori ramen ($12.95) - roasted chicken, house made chili, enoki mushroom, scallion, red ginger, fried garlic, bean sprouts, and a marinated egg all in a miso chicken broth. It was not very spicy but I understand that you can request that they up the spicing level to your taste. The marinated egg is cut in half and the white portion looks like any other egg, but the yolk portion has gone through some kind of preparation that totally changes its texture and flavor. It's really good. I ordered the Spicy Gyu ramen ($13.95) - beef brisket, bean sprout, menma (lacto-fermented bamboo shoots), cilantro, scallion, house made chili, sesame seeds, marinated egg, fried garlic, and fresh lime to squeeze into the shio chicken broth. The brisket was tender and full of flavor. I overlooked mentioning while describing my wife's ramen that you get a huge portion of those great noodles with every ramen. No need to request a larger portion, it probably wouldn't fit in the bowl anyway. I didn't think my ramen was very spicy either until I happened to take a spoonful of broth and was caught completely off guard as I swallowed. That happened once again about halfway through my meal so I think you just have to be cautious that the spicing may be uneven. We also tried Pork Bun ($7) as an appetizer. The buns (there are two to an order) actually came shortly after our ramen was served. The server explained that it was important to eat the buns while they were still hot, soft and pliable. We followed her recommendation and remarked how much more enjoyable the buns were than similar buns we had just tried earlier this week at a local bar and grill known for its Philly steak sandwiches. Kuma Ani's buns also contained very flavorful and tender pieces of hot pork along with pickled cucumbers, carrots and probably some other vegetables. As flavorful as these buns are, they need some kind of liquid however, to help wash them down. Since we hadn't ordered any beverages, I tried dunking the bun in my ramen broth and that helped. There is no table service here. You place your order at a counter and the food is brought to your table or your number is called. If you use a credit card to pay for your food, there is no opportunity on the receipt to add a tip, but there is a tip jar next to the register. I believe it was the owner who stopped by our table, as we studied the menu, and asked if we needed anything explained. It being our first time there he reviewed the full menu with us. read more

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Kuma Ani has revamped, expanded, and rebranded. The Wolf Rd location fills a niche in the Albany- fast quality Japanese food. The menu has a variety of fast Japanese options. Some are tastier than others but overall it's very different than other Japanese restaurants in the area and is a good introduction to Japanese food other than sushi (which is not at this location). Tonkatsu ramen- I was a bit disappointed with this dish. I like my ramen to have thick rich broth with lots of depth but this ramen was more like a light broth. For those who had never had ramen before, this would be a good start because it reminds me of a more American version of chicken noodle soup. But for those who prefer heavier and more traditional ramen, this is not your dish. Gyu don and Karage don- overall both well portioned and pretty presentations. Both had excellent amounts of meat and rice. The flavors were exactly what I expected and overall satisfying. I would recommend the Karage don because the breading is excellent. Ban mein- this was a pretty spicy for my tastebuds but it had some nice flavors and was a good portion. Ambiance- it's a very clean hipster casual vibe which is perfect for grabbing a meal with a friend or date. Group seating is tough- the most you can probably sit is 4 at a table. Overall worth a shot!! And du on't expect sushi at this Kuma Ani read more

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Stopped by Thursday evening and ordered the Spicy Tori, Pork Buns, and Crab Rangoon. Everything was spot on and the pork buns were a nice treat since I've never had them before. The ramen was HOT, had a nice kick, and the Rangoon was flavorful. Service was quick and the booths were comfortable enough. Definitely worth stopping by. read more

Perfect meal tonight. You order at the counter, and then they bring it out to you, organized and nice atmosphere. We both had ramen and really loved both, the flavors and portions were awesome. Truly loved the egg in both and raved about it, the pork belly and the brisket were both perfect. Can't wait to visit again soon. read more

Kuma Ani - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

Finally made it here. Order at the counter then find a seat. There's a handful of tables but a lot of people ordered to-go so we found a table ok. Th tables were filled once we sat. The food was flavorful and good but a bit too salty. read more

Kuma Ani - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

I am very excited to have a ramen place in an extremely convenient location. I have been meaning to try legit ramen (yes, try for the first time) but I just haven't made it to any of the other ones located in downtown areas. After a morning of running errands, I decided to stop in to get a bowl of the Ultimate Tonkatsu Ramen, and also an order of fried gyoza. I placed my order at the front counter and received an order number. I found a seat at one of the very nice booths, however there was very limited seating, which may be an issue for a meal that seems primarily eat in - not sure if they do take out but that would be great too. All the tables were filled by the time I left, with people standing around waiting for a space to open up. They do have some counter seating also, so that helps. While seated, an employee (I believe the owner/manager) brought me the order of gyoza, served with a sauce. They were very crispy and delicious, but I did want a little heat. They supply extra sauce/oil and some homemade spice on the counter. I combined the spice with the oil and it had great flavor and amped up the gyoza for sure. Shortly after I finished the appetizer, my number was called and I grabbed my ramen from the counter. The presentation of the bowl was gorgeous, and I couldn't wait to dig in. I mixed all the goodies together in the bowl and everything combined to make an amazing taste experience. The pork was so tender and flavorful, the bacon, onion and garlic added so much salty flavor, the egg was great as well. I ended up adding some of the spice blend and oil to my bowl, which made it over the top. Once I got down to just the broth at the bottom, it was very spicy, but a nice, balanced heat. I ate every single bite and drop of this meal, and I was stuffed. You definitely don't need an app before the bowl, but I wanted to try more than one thing. It was all amazing. I did find my lunch to be very pricey for a non-sit down place. For the gyoza, ramen and a bottle of water it was $22. I did enjoy my meal to the fullest, so I suppose it was worth it! I will be back, soon. read more

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Came in and was quickly greeted by the friendly staff. She helped me decide on what dish to order based on my preferences . I went with spicy gyu. And it was worth it. Note they have a one stall bathroom but it was very clean! The workers were very nice and asked how my meal was. Would definitely come again read more

Kuma Ani - Restaruant - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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This has been one of my favorite ramen experiences in a really long time. I can't speak highly enough of this establishment, and I will admit to only having visited once. My husband and I had to come to Albany for family business. I haven't been to town in a while, and so was excited when I saw that there was a tame place on Wolf Road. Since my husband doesn't eat ramen, I had him drop me off while he tended to business. I lucked out with a really relaxing 45 minute lunch. The main entrance is in the back of the building where you will also find plenty of parking. I was greeted when I entered, and the girl at the register was very informative and helpful. After I'd had time to look over the menu, I ordered. You order at the counter and then your number will be called when it's ready. If it's not too busy they may bring it to your seat. There isn't a lot of seating, so I chose a spot at a counter near the back (or front depending on your POV). I got comfortable on my bar stool and sipped in a Japanese mango cream soda which so rather enjoyed. I ordered a spicy tori (chicken miso base with enoki mushrooms, sprouts and egg) as well as a side of steamed gyoza. The spicy tori is a little more expensive, but I rather enjoyed this dish. The garlic was fried and plentiful. It offered up a rich flavor, though I honestly wouldn't say this was actually that spicy. It had a kick, but it didn't burn. I also really enjoyed the enoki mushrooms. The texture was perfect. I didn't finish all of the noodle... plentiful they were! The gyoza were not special in any way. They were served in a paper dish, and I felt they cooled off too quickly. There wasn't a lot of flavor... but maybe they were overpowered by the spicy tori's garlic. I probably wouldn't choose again... they weren't bad but just not stellar. The spicy tori however really made up for it! Wait time wasn't too long, though you might have a longer wait depending on how crowded it is. You can have the option for take out, so if you are looking to head back to a hotel room, that's definitely an option. First impressions are everything, and so had a fantastic, flavorful experience. I'm not too often in the Albany/Colonie area, but when I'm back this will be at the top of my list! Whether you're a local or a visitor, Kuma Ani is worth a try. read more

Kuma Ani - Menu... there's also a make your own menu! - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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Lots of options to customize Pork buns were excellent with fluffy Bao buns Ramen was SO GOOD Very fast Good customer service Clean Accurate read more

Kuma Ani - Ramen bowl customized - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

The flavor of everything here was amazing. The Fried Chicken as a starter was perfectly crispy and honestly all around flawless. We also ordered the Spicy Tori. Incredible broth. The only thing is that the ramen tastes like it came from a cup of noodles and compared to the quality of everything else that was disappointing. The Gyudon was super tasty, but the bowl felt really rice heavy and could have a used a little more of the brisket and toppings. Build your own ramen is also a cool menu item. This is a small place with limited seating, but we were seated quickly. read more

Kuma Ani - Gyudon - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

This is by far, one of the BEST ramen places I've went to this year. This is located close to Colonie Mall, so if you go to the mall and start craving some ramen, this is the best place to go. The place is extremely affordable and you even have your build your option if you want to make something that is meant for only you. We got the Spicy Gyu which was Beef brisket, bean sprout, menma, cilantro, scallion, house made chili oil, sesame seeds, marinated egg, garlic chip, and lime in shio chicken broth (from their website). It took them around 5-10 min to make the food while you sit down on your table. They bring the food to you and its normally very hot. There is booth on the side where you can add extra spice, soy sauce etc. The brisket was so tender, it was falling apart when we grabbed it. There is plenty of broth. Each items are usually meant for one person. The marinated egg also tasted delicious. I had no complains about anything. I personally love my food spicy so I added extra chilly powder to my ramen to enhance the taste. Once we left the place, I was craving for more within few hours. You'll be missing out if you don't go here. read more

Kuma Ani - Spicy Gyu - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

Outstanding! Best meal I've had in a long time. Pork shumai and a heaping bowl of spicy tori chicken Ramen. With a drink all for $23 read more

Kuma Ani - Spicy tori Ramen and pork shumai. - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

I like that you can build your own ramen. The temperature of the shoyu tonkotsu broth was up to my soup standards; nice and hot. But not that authentic. The noodles were more like vermicelli than wavy ramen noodles. I got spice level 4 and it was not spicy in the least. Both the pork char-siu and beef brisket were tender and flavorful though. Seating inside is somewhat limited but service was quick enough. Next time I'll try the shio chicken broth spice level 5 but I still don't expect it to be the level that I'm looking for. read more

Everything about this place is the BEST! Staff are super friendly and remember your name and ask how you've been, the food is excellent quality and is made to your standard per order, and the lighting tables and overall vibe of the place is beautiful and relaxing letting you enjoy your food peacefully in comfort. read more

Ramen is pretty good. Beef brisket are pretty thick slice. However, the texture of soft boiled egg isn't as good. Yolk could be creamier. I had spicy level 4, my friend had 3 and 5, it's just a little flavor but not really spicy. So you can definitely go up on spicy level. We found this restaurant nearby to a place we were going. So overall it was a good reman spot. read more

Kuma Ani - BYOR spicy level 4 - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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This place is AMAZING.......don't worry about reading the rest of this review......just go there if you like Ramen/Noodles or just food with spectacular flavor. We have gone there 3 times. It is a must eat restaurant any time I come to Albany. So far I have tried the Spicy Tori Ramen and the Curry Chicken Ramen. It would be extremely difficult for me to decide which is better, but I feel the curry chicken was a little bit spicier and had a touch more flavor. My family always gets the vegan ramen and they absolutely love the flavor. Our favorite part is the marinated eggs.......make sure to get an extra one, you will thank me later. Even the service is excellent. It is soft of self serve, but once you order and sit down, they bring you the food. If you even look in their direction, they ask if you need anything else. Overall GO TO KUMA ANI......your taste buds will thank you. I know you can get it to go, but honestly it tastes the best when you eat it there immediately after they make it read more

Just like I remember the Ramen in California I really like that you can select noodle firmness. Big plus for me. read more

So so so so good! Had a couple of teeth extracted last month and stopped hoping for half-decent/edible. Instead got the best ramen I've had in a long time. Noodles made on premises, perfectly marinated eggs, and the most flavorful pork ever in the history of ever. I've only been here the once, so can only truly vouch for the quality of the 'ultimate tonkotsu' but that was so good I ordered one to bring home after the first bite. Highly recommended. read more

Kuma Ani - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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This place is legit good. I had the pork buns and the ultimate tonkatsu ramen. Both were super flavorful and good! The tonkatsu ramen has garlic chips on top. Nice touch. Definitely recommend read more

Kuma Ani - Pork buns - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

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The is one of my favorite spots on wolf road, food is always great. My boyfriend and I usually get the Japanese fried chicken for appetizer. I get mine with sweet chill sauce and he get his with hot chili sauce. For my main meal, I decided to try the Curry don for the 1st time, which was great but my favorite has to be the Oyakodon. When it's not too busy the service is quick. The servers and hostess are always very nice. The space has an industrial style with natural wood and drawings on the wall that add pops of color. In the summer they also have outside sitting. read more

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I got the Ultimate Tonkatsu Ramen and it was delicious. They also offer Sapporo Premium which was a perfect match with the food :) Got to talk to the owners Benson and Tracy and they were very sweet and welcoming! The restaurant was clean and the decor was cool. Will be going back whenever I'm in the area! read more

Kuma Ani - Ultimate Tonkatsu Ramen with chili oil on the side - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

The food & service was excellent. The place was spotless and comfortable. The ramen was so good that after eating our lunch we ordered again to take home read more

Decided ramen sounded good for a lunch on our first day visiting. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I got the vegan ramen and added some spice (be careful, they're not messing around with that! Haha) but is nice you can add as much or as little as you want. Really cute little joint. I would definitely recommend! read more

Yummy and homemade food. Definitely more expensive than a casual lunch however everywhere is expensive right now! So at least you get a bang for your buck. read more

Kuma Ani is a 10/10 The Curry Chicken Ramen is amazing! There was a decent amount of chicken, ramen & vegetables. Staff were very friendly.. the chef even came out to check on us 3xs to ask if the food was okay!! As well as informing us that the best way to eat the chicken buns were when they were fresh & hot! read more

Kuma Ani - Curry Chicken Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Albany, New York

Sadly and sincerely disappointed considering the ratings this place had. If you're going to call a dish "Ultimate" it's coming with some built in high expectations. Kind of missed the mark for both my wife and I. The broth bad a strange mix of being too salty, but having very little flavor. The egg had almost no flavor either, and just didn't taste good. The noodles themselves weren't actually ramen noodles; seemed like super thin soba noodles. While I love soba noodles, the texture way way off for a bowl of ramen. For the price, it was horribly disappointing. I honestly feel like I would have been happier with a packet bought in the grocery store and made at home, which kills me, because I LOVE ramen restaurants... but we won't be back. read more

I was not feeling well and ordered veggie pad Thai and miso soup to be delivered to my hotel. I have eaten many different versions of pad Thai and this was by far the most tasty and well balanced dish. Even though I used delivery service the noodles weren't all stuck together. A really nice variety of vegetables including asparagus which I love and broccoli! The food was delivered within an hour, it was very hot, and the delivery person sent me a text photo of the food outside my door. I hope I can return someday- just as good as chicken noodle soup when you don't feel well! read more