Flying Crane’s Cafe

Beautiful garden, food is individually prepared like home cooking. However, owner is very uptight and makes me feel as if I’m going to be in trouble if I do mas much as move a chair out of place or, God forbid, ask for something like sugar or ketchup. I feel bad for the one waitress who works there. Also, somehow meal ends up being really pricey after you add up all the alacarte this and that. I can’t recommend going back.

Have you ever seen a man shake in anger? Well I forgot that he had mentioned the 1 check rule for 6+ people and asked for individual checks. He proceeded to berate me for what he had told me earlier on the phone and basically made the entire table super awkward as he literally shook in anger. I told him I had just forgotten and said no problem, I’ll just pay but really was that necessary? Food and all is great but this kind of service is really a terrible way to start a weekend.

Real Mom and Pop operation, and that’s a good thing. Great fusion of English (Pop) and Mom (Asian). Nice vibe, relaxing, good food (soups and quiche not to be missed), coffee/​tea… great weekend Brunch spot.

Would rate a zero if I could. Service is terrible and you can tell it’s very unsanitary. I almost felt bad for the staff because the owner was just treating them poorly. There were only three people in the restaurant dining but the staff were already overworked and my tip didn’t go to the waitress just the owners. Food was mediocre, not coming back.

It’s Ok. Didn’t know if it was a British tea room or Japanese noodle café. Very nice people but service was a little akward. The 5.00 «corking» fee is lame. I bought a 7.00, twist off bottle of wine from Marcs and with the «fee» it costs me 12.00…and I don’t even like wine. I got a twist off for that very reason as to not put anyone out. Both things we had were Ok. The rice dish had very little flavor and the curry noodle dish tasted just like boiled noodles and the S&B curry cooking blocks I make at home. 33 dollars for 2 bowls of soup and I even brought my own booze in. A bit much, Im thinkin’. I could make it at home for about 6.00. Very nice people and nice place but I cant see spending that. I know a lot of other Unilocalers think that’s totally normal but they smoking crack.

We came here to try the ramen, and we were very happy with what we had. The broth was very delicious, the noodles had nice textures, and the pork belly was delicious. The eggs were a little more done than what we like, but it’s definitely not over-​cooked.
The owners were also very friendly and nice. We definitely will come back and try more items on the menu, as everything looked delicious.

Our favorite brunch spot; the quiches are amazing, accompanied by fresh green salad w/​homemade dressing and fresh fruit. The garden is a perfect outdoor dining spot that will make you long for summer.
Take home some house made teriyaki sauce!

Somewhere way beyond the spectrum of hipster coffee and ultramodern lounge exists Flying Crane’s Café. Time seems to stop in this eclectic little world — surrounded by pastel awning striped-​wallpaper and large potted plants, what could go wrong?
Cleveland is one of the last places I would have expected to find a fusion of British and Japanese comfort foods, but the couple running this joint clearly knows how to appeal to the heart and taste buds. I was intrigued the moment I spotted legitimate-​looking pictures of ramen on the Unilocal page. We found street parking on Larchmere and I had a good feeling about the location, which I hoped extended to the destination. Every second I spent inside, and the more strange facts I learned about Flying Crane, the more I felt at home. Which made more sense when I found out that the owners are also running a bed and breakfast out of this quaint space.
I mentioned ramen. But this is merely the tip of the multicultural food pyramid here. Scan down the menu and you’ll see quiches, katsu sandwiches, lemon tarts, donburi, egg salad and green tea lattes. I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet. Japanese style hot pot and English High Tea. Yes. You heard me — the best of both worlds in one cozy room. With advance notice, of course.
The adorable chef brought out our food herself, clad in smiles and a much used apron. I unfortunately only had the pleasure of tasting their Champon Ramen (an umami festival in slurpable form), and the Regular Ramen (a little too salty for my taste, but still good). But judging by all the regulars coming in and out, the rest of the menu has a seal of approval and Flying Crane can add me to their list of fans.

Interesting B&B with Japanese comfort food. Ramen is actually decent. They only have tonkotsu ramen but I was impressed.

Exceptional Japanese comfort food in the Cleveland area. This place is definitely a hidden gem, and the best place to get ramen in Ohio. I’ve had ramen at Menya and Tensuke Market in Columbus. I’ve also had ramen at Pacific East and Noodlecat in Cleveland. The ramen here surpasses all these other places. The broth is really good, and has a lot of depth without using excessive amounts of MSG.
For all my raving about the ramen though, the best dish the restaurant serves is definitely chicken teriyaki. I normally don’t order chicken teriyaki at Japanese restaurants, but this place’s teriyaki excels. The chef makes her own unique teriyaki sauce, and the preparation is very good as well — using just enough sauce to give the chicken and rice a kick instead of drowning the dish in teriyaki sauce.
The other unique feature of this restaurant is that it is the only restaurant I know of in northeast Ohio (as of this review) that serves okonomiyaki. You have to order it 2 days in advance, and as it was my first time going here I have not tried it yet. I definitely plan on trying the okonomiyaki at my next visit.

One of my favorite restaurant’s on Larchmere!
I think I have been a frequent customer for over four years or more nowadays. Really enjoy the couple that owns the café. They always know I am taking my order to-​go and are very friendly.
It’s a small café with a decent menu. Everything from Japanese cuisine to quiches are on the menu. They even have hot pot if you are looking for that kind of meal! Call in advance for hot pot.

Enjoyed the regular ramen so much. First time that I basically finished the whole bowl. The broth was perfectly seasoned, perfect amount of Pork belly that wasn’t too fatty, and perfectly cooked egg. Loved it!
Also enjoyed some matcha tea. I would love to return for brunch one weekend

I wish I could give 3 ½ stars. The food was great to okay: the grilled cheese left something to be lacking – rather bland, but the quiche was out of this world, so decadent and rich. The drink options are extensive: from smoothies to teas to fun fizzy drinks, but the service was poor. Every question we asked the server she had to shout over to the owner by the counter. In such a small café, the experience would have been greatly improved if you just ordered at the counter.

While their service may be a tad bit slow at times, they prepare their food with the utmost care and attention. The menu offers a variety of options ranging from quiches to udon to my personal favorite, teriyaki with sesame seeds. The teriyaki with sesame seeds came out at the perfect temperature along with a side salad with ginger dressing. I have to admit I was never a fan of ginger dressing but Flying Crane’s has turned me into one. I’m thrilled they sell their homemade teriyaki sauce and ginger salad dressing as they’ve become my go-​to purchases after a great meal.
Did I mention the variety of beverages they offer?! I vote for the latte (hot or cold) and the mango iced tea which is typically only offered in the summer. Their outdoor patio by the way is incredibly charming in the Larchmere neighborhood.

What an adorable little place. The owners are kind and the welcoming atmosphere makes this a great spot to enjoy a hot beverage and anything from quiche to udon on their diverse menu. I enjoyed the champon ramen with pork broth, vegetables and shrimp. It’s not like the ramen you would find in Chicago or New York but it was flavorful and perfect for a cold wintery Cleveland night. I’m looking forward to taking my kindle with me and enjoying a latte and pastry sometime soon.

Cute family owned store! The set up is definitely a huge appeal here… and you know your food is home cooked!
Very eclectic menu which I’m intrigued to try… it ranges from udon to curry chicken to shepherd’s pie to smoothies to mac and cheese. I tried the ramen which was pretty good, especially on a cold snowy day. The meat itself (I got pork belly) wasn’t that great. But the rest of it was tasty.
I’ll def be back, but will probably try something else besides ramen on the varied menu.
They are BYOB which could be fun for brunch!

So far I think this is a cute small shop. They have 4 — 4 seater tables and 3 — 2 seater tables. There is one couch in the back corner with a cute little basket weaved table for people who want to chit chat with their cup of coffee. Some tables are very close together so there isn’t much chair moving or elbow space.
There is no server here, so you need to come to the front counter and grab your menu and order up. Once you order you can then choose whatever table you would like, in accordance to what is available. This place fills up quickly so slim picking for some of you.
Now the wait. We ordered Ramen and Udon and we definitely had to wait awhile basically 30 – 40 minutes until we got our food.
Once we got our food it was pretty darn good. The Ramen was delicious and they give you a generous portion of noodles. The broth was on point and delicious since you can actually taste some flavor from the pork belly! I just wish they gave us options for a bigger bowl since that was the only thing I was craving. The pork belly was nicely sliced into bite size pieces so a knife was not necessary nor was it salty which made it fabulous!
The Udon was a total disappointment according to my guest. He stated that it tastes exactly like the instant Udon mix that he usually buys from the Asian stores.
Overall 4 stars on the food and service! Also, before I forget, you guys can also bring your own wine if you would like, just pay the cork fee. They provide options to eat some dessert and have some coffee as well.

One word to describe this café? ADORABLE!
The ramen, outdoor seating, cute British and Japanese owners just make this place a worthwhile visit :) I’ve been here a few times, and have only gotten the pork ramen. Why? Because it is THAT good! The broth is very savory, with just the perfect amount of seasoning. I definitely recommend this if you’re a first timer!
If you come here during the warmer times, sit outside in their patio! The patio looks like someone backyard! You can definitely tell that the owners pour their hearts into taking care of the beautiful flowers and plants :)
Another perk about this place is that they serve high tea! Yes, we can be fancy in Cleveland too :) It’s $ 22 per person, and you must reserve 1 week ahead of time so they can prepare everything for you. I’m definitely trying this next time!

I am saddened by this review. Captivated by the idea of finally getting a great bowl of ramen in Cleveland, I ventured across town to check out what others have been talking about. Perhaps my expectations were too high, after enjoying NYC’s Ippudo (wow, that is some amazing stuff) earlier last year.
Flying Crane is located about a block or so away from Shaker Square in a small storefront. It is pretty cute– like a coffee shop, very different from what I’d expect a Japanese restaurant to be. I ordered a ramen with pork belly and my friend ordered a rice bowl. Prices weren’t bad– $ 10 for the bowl of ramen. I ordered another one to bring home to the Wife.
I was hoping to get a nice big bowl of rich, deeply flavored broth with chewy, plentiful noodles and perhaps a dallop of oil slicking the surface. Perhaps a flavorful piece or two of grilled pork belly or something like that. That’s what I got for $ 14 at Ippudo.
Instead I got a medium sized bowl filled with noodles which were not that much better than good quality instant ramen. The broth was, for me the most disappointing part, really not much better than what I could get from (again) a good instant ramen. None of that, «whoa, THAT’s why people love ramen in Japan feeling.»
When we were done with our meal, the owner brought a small bowl of pickles. They were nice, but it would have been more helpful to have them with our food. My friend’s rice bowel was also «meh» and my wife agreed with my take on the ramen.
It pains me to leave a three star review, because I suspect this place can do it better, but I have to write what I eat. Maybe I’ll try it again in the future if I’m ever in the area, but I won’t drive all the way there again.

3.5 stars, rounding up because I am putting my foot down as the Unilocaler in the relationship.
Here’s the thing. This place has gone and done it, and has totally torn us apart.
I ordered the ramen and I was absolutely flabbergasted. It was very good! Full-​flavored and cooked with authentic ingredients, not too salty, not too sweet. And the broth had a terrific aftertaste as I expect from good ramen. I never expected anything like this to exist in Cleveland and I was ready to give this place a five, hands down, for filling the ramen void in my life.
She ordered the kakiage-​don, a traditional japanese rice bowl with tempura vegetables. She hated it. Thought it wasn’t authentic (I do admit, it wasn’t really), did not have any real substance to it, and did not taste particularly special. She did not finish it — though I did, and thought it was still a well-​flavored rice bowl. She wanted to give this place a two.
Long story short, I guess I’ll be coming here by myself from now on. Or perhaps with some fellow Unilocalers who would also like to try this amazing ramen?
I didn’t have any issues with the service as other people have mentioned, but the portions are very small considering the prices. I think the ramen is definitely worth it though.