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Address and Contact Information
Address: 121 N Linn St, Iowa City, IA 52245
Phone: (319) 319-0159
Website: http://www.papercraneic.com/
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Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
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PAPER CRANE – Ramen Shop & Cocktail Lounge
Nestled in the historic Brewery Square, in Iowa City’s North Side, Paper Crane fuses the essence of Japanese ramen with the elegance of 1930’s Japan.
Paper Crane – Ramen Shop & Cocktail Lounge (@papercraneic)
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Paper Crane Ramen and Cocktail Lounge, Iowa City. 341 likes · 19 talking about this · 58 were here. Restaurant.
Reviews
Ashley Sinnorai
The ramen here was really good. We were lucky that there was no wait time! I don’t remember which soup I got, but the age dashi tofu (not pictured ) stole the show. So yummy. Employees were really nice, one of my friend’s egg was forgotten so they gave him one on the side LOL.
I wanted to steal the chopstick placeholder sooo bad because it’s so cute (but don’t worry I didn’t!!!)
… moreI wanted to steal the chopstick placeholder sooo bad because it’s so cute (but don’t worry I didn’t!!!)
K Fishel
We had reservations for 9. The food was displayed beautifully and everyone enjoyed their chosen entre’. My daughter picked several appetizers to share between us. (Grandma had to resort to using a fork. lol) Sake for some, different cocktails for others. Our server was attentive & knowledgable. Lovely decor. Couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant Christmas family outing. (Keep in mind we told our family to get anything and whatever, so we spent without limits)
… morejane
My partner and I visited Paper Crane for his birthday this year, and it was so delicious! We’re already planning our next visit. Our server (Jack?) was super friendly, and the service is very well paced. The tonkatsu and kimchi ramen are both very good (add the fried garlic!), and we quite enjoyed the edamame, it’s very different from other restaurants in town. It was a little bit overpriced for some of the appetisers, but I think the cost for ramen and drinks are on par with other upscale ramen places I’ve been to. They do not skimp you on the portion sizing, which makes the price more reasonable. Overall, I would recommend Paper Crane!!
… moreMaryAnn Spicer
Japanese dishes are intriguing especially how the beautiful presentation of each dish such as “Chashu Bowl arrives in all its glory. This was the best rice forward dish I’ve ever experienced. The pork belly was well marinated where each bite melted in your mouth. The Milk Bun which was house made bread dipped in a batter that was toasted in sugary spices then layered between vanilla ice cream, whipped cream & chocolate— yum— was beyond good! The seating— had this long table where each guests would sit across from each other. The decor and trivia as told by my wait server- Sophia – was very interesting. Even the red curtain side room used for interactive meetings, slide shows or settees was another added bonus for those special meetings. The total atmosphere was a cultural experience with the master of wok weaving tasty & scrumptious delicate meals that would wake up your taste buds.
… morewina
if you’re into creamy, thick tonkotsu broth, this is the place for you! combined with the great cocktails and atmosphere perfect for first date (although a little bit crowded), it’s easy to recommend this place. the lounge opens late as well, which makes it a great after-event choice.
the one star removed, for me, was the other foods beside ramen. i’ve tried several appetizers and small bowls, and i found them to be too one-profile flavored, in example combining a sour-profiled fried food with yuzu-infused mayonnaise dip. this makes the food feel so intensely flavored, even coming from someone who uses a lot of salt in their food.
all in all, this place stays as a recommendation for me! i’m still going to try their newly released lunch special as well!
… morethe one star removed, for me, was the other foods beside ramen. i’ve tried several appetizers and small bowls, and i found them to be too one-profile flavored, in example combining a sour-profiled fried food with yuzu-infused mayonnaise dip. this makes the food feel so intensely flavored, even coming from someone who uses a lot of salt in their food.
all in all, this place stays as a recommendation for me! i’m still going to try their newly released lunch special as well!
Donney Jackson
The food was tasty, and I plan to return to try other menu items. On this visit, I got vegan options so my vegan life partner could have more items to sample because the menu doesn’t have dedicated vegan offerings. Items could be removed to make some vegan, but none were vegan. I was most interested in trying their ramen dishes, but these are served during different hours. The 80s music playing, which I love, didn’t vibe with the theme of the restaurant. However, the food was very good and flavorful, making the music a non-issue. The service was great, and the food came to the table fairly quickly. We were the only two people in the restaurant. I look forward to my next visit to Paper Crane.
… moreNeetu S Datta
Took my partner for a dinner on his birthday. Food was excellent. Filling. It is a little on the pricy end, but the budget is justified by the food quality and how filling it is. Loved!
The house kombucha is to die for. Karaage is crisp. And the chicken yuzu ramen is perfection.
… moreThe house kombucha is to die for. Karaage is crisp. And the chicken yuzu ramen is perfection.
Mary Johnson
I had heard that Paper Crane had amazing ramen….what an understatement! It was some of the best ramen I’ve had!
The ramen was lush & velvety, the perfect umami taste. The egg was cooked beautifully, with the perfect soft yolk that added to the luxe feel & texture. I paired the ramen with Social’s Pink Grapefruit and Ginger drink. It was the perfect marriage to the richness of the ramen. Light, clean, refreshing. The place had a hip, cool vibe with just enough background music to want to move about but still be able to read…or talk if you must.
The staff was welcoming but stayed away long enough for me to wallow in the enjoyment of the ramen and the book I was reading. I appreciate that, too often I’m interrupted and get any reading done. I sat at the counter which faced a windows with a street view. A great spot to catch the afternoon sunshine. I can imagine it’s a great place to people watch during the day.
… moreThe ramen was lush & velvety, the perfect umami taste. The egg was cooked beautifully, with the perfect soft yolk that added to the luxe feel & texture. I paired the ramen with Social’s Pink Grapefruit and Ginger drink. It was the perfect marriage to the richness of the ramen. Light, clean, refreshing. The place had a hip, cool vibe with just enough background music to want to move about but still be able to read…or talk if you must.
The staff was welcoming but stayed away long enough for me to wallow in the enjoyment of the ramen and the book I was reading. I appreciate that, too often I’m interrupted and get any reading done. I sat at the counter which faced a windows with a street view. A great spot to catch the afternoon sunshine. I can imagine it’s a great place to people watch during the day.
Kayla Nguyen
excited to share my first review on google ever!! i had to log on to share my thoughts about paper crane.
tldr: this place is changing the food scene in iowa city. please come try it for yourself!
my favs so far: chasu bowl, karaage, and the simple salad
i have previously gotten drinks at their cocktail lounge and have had takeout from paper crane, but yesterday was my first time dining in. alex was our server and he was great! he was so knowledgeable and inviting. we had a nice conversation and before my partner and i left, he shared that paper crane will be making bento boxes during lunch! if i still lived in town, i would definitely try it out.
before i dined in, i read some of the critiques on google. i do think the paper crane team have listened to people’s feedback and made adjustments. the music wasn’t too loud and the food wasn’t too salty. i did read people’s review about the ramen broth being too salty, so i’ll be sure to try it myself and review it next time.
i did get the poke bowl, as i wanted to try the dinner special! great as an appetizer, but is a nice option if you are not too hungry. we also got the gyoza and chasu bowl, both great menu favs! i think my partner has gotten the chasu bowl at least four times, so if you haven’t tried it, i hope this review influences you. to end the night, we got the milk bun dessert. the flavor profile of that dessert is insane — you gotta try it!
overall i loved the food, the atmosphere, and how intentional everything at paper crane is! from the hospitality, to the decor, to even the paper cranes and guava candy in the takeout bags, it is apparent that this place is a labor of love. the price point is worth it considering the quality of care in dining, takeout, and the lounge. paper crane is one of the restaurants in iowa city to set the standards higher
… moretldr: this place is changing the food scene in iowa city. please come try it for yourself!
my favs so far: chasu bowl, karaage, and the simple salad
i have previously gotten drinks at their cocktail lounge and have had takeout from paper crane, but yesterday was my first time dining in. alex was our server and he was great! he was so knowledgeable and inviting. we had a nice conversation and before my partner and i left, he shared that paper crane will be making bento boxes during lunch! if i still lived in town, i would definitely try it out.
before i dined in, i read some of the critiques on google. i do think the paper crane team have listened to people’s feedback and made adjustments. the music wasn’t too loud and the food wasn’t too salty. i did read people’s review about the ramen broth being too salty, so i’ll be sure to try it myself and review it next time.
i did get the poke bowl, as i wanted to try the dinner special! great as an appetizer, but is a nice option if you are not too hungry. we also got the gyoza and chasu bowl, both great menu favs! i think my partner has gotten the chasu bowl at least four times, so if you haven’t tried it, i hope this review influences you. to end the night, we got the milk bun dessert. the flavor profile of that dessert is insane — you gotta try it!
overall i loved the food, the atmosphere, and how intentional everything at paper crane is! from the hospitality, to the decor, to even the paper cranes and guava candy in the takeout bags, it is apparent that this place is a labor of love. the price point is worth it considering the quality of care in dining, takeout, and the lounge. paper crane is one of the restaurants in iowa city to set the standards higher
Jacquelyn & Corben Masterson
Paper Crane is not only an easy 5, but an exciting new addition to the Iowa City food scene, and it absolutely delivers. As a couple, we’ve enjoyed high end ramen in our home city of Seattle, but also in places like Vancouver, San Francisco, and Taipei. We do have super high standards for Asian food as we’ve been lucky to try some of the best. Frankly, we don’t hold the Midwest to the same standard as the coasts, but this place completely surprised us—in the best way.
The chicken karaage was flavorful with a crispy coating, though it was a little too oily. It might be improved if it emulated more of a Taiwanese popcorn chicken vibe. The gyoza was fresh and delicious, but we felt a lighter sauce profile like a ponzu derivative could’ve been a signature addition to the menu. We appreciated that large window into the kitchen so guests can observe the chefs prepare the meals—it’s clear everything is cooked fresh. That said, the karaage and gyoza together felt like a savory overload, especially when paired with the ramen. It might be worth considering lighter appetizers to balance out the meal better.
Speaking of ramen, we ordered the tantanmen, and wow—it was incredible. The broth was rich, flavorful, and absolutely comforting, and the soy egg? Absolute perfection. It was so good that it’s worth coming back just for that egg. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Unfortunately, dessert was the one weak point of the meal. The milk bun wasn’t really like a milk bun at all—it had more of a dry toast-like texture, which was disappointing. The vanilla ice cream was okay but didn’t do enough to redeem the dish. It looked better than it tasted—more for aesthetics than actual flavor. I’ll skip that next time and try the mochi ice cream instead.
Service, on the other hand, was top-notch. The staff was incredibly attentive, friendly, and quick to refill waters throughout the meal. We also tried the Demon Slayer sake, which we highly recommend if you enjoy dry sake—it paired perfectly with the food.
Overall, Paper Crane is a gem that’s raising the bar for Asian food in Iowa City. While dessert didn’t impress, the ramen and appetizers more than made up for it. The atmosphere was also a nice surprise, with cool lighting and red backlights that set the vibe. This is an awesome new place, and we highly recommend it!
… moreThe chicken karaage was flavorful with a crispy coating, though it was a little too oily. It might be improved if it emulated more of a Taiwanese popcorn chicken vibe. The gyoza was fresh and delicious, but we felt a lighter sauce profile like a ponzu derivative could’ve been a signature addition to the menu. We appreciated that large window into the kitchen so guests can observe the chefs prepare the meals—it’s clear everything is cooked fresh. That said, the karaage and gyoza together felt like a savory overload, especially when paired with the ramen. It might be worth considering lighter appetizers to balance out the meal better.
Speaking of ramen, we ordered the tantanmen, and wow—it was incredible. The broth was rich, flavorful, and absolutely comforting, and the soy egg? Absolute perfection. It was so good that it’s worth coming back just for that egg. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Unfortunately, dessert was the one weak point of the meal. The milk bun wasn’t really like a milk bun at all—it had more of a dry toast-like texture, which was disappointing. The vanilla ice cream was okay but didn’t do enough to redeem the dish. It looked better than it tasted—more for aesthetics than actual flavor. I’ll skip that next time and try the mochi ice cream instead.
Service, on the other hand, was top-notch. The staff was incredibly attentive, friendly, and quick to refill waters throughout the meal. We also tried the Demon Slayer sake, which we highly recommend if you enjoy dry sake—it paired perfectly with the food.
Overall, Paper Crane is a gem that’s raising the bar for Asian food in Iowa City. While dessert didn’t impress, the ramen and appetizers more than made up for it. The atmosphere was also a nice surprise, with cool lighting and red backlights that set the vibe. This is an awesome new place, and we highly recommend it!