Ninja Ramen & Thai is the sit-down ramen-and-Thai hybrid in the west-side 41st Street corridor. 2700 West 41st, Suite 101, with 369 reviews at 4.3 stars. Closed Tuesdays. The combination of ramen and Thai on one menu is the operator move — it lets one room solve two different cuisine cravings at the same dining table, which is a useful feature for groups that can't agree on whether the night calls for soup or curry.
The orders. Panang curry is the Thai headline — coconut milk, panang paste, basil, lime leaves, and your choice of protein. Ninja's panang is well-balanced, not over-sweet, and runs medium-rich on the coconut. The kimchi ramen is the fusion order — Japanese ramen broth with Korean kimchi as the topping, which sounds like it shouldn't work and works just fine. The spicy tonkatsu ramen is the indulgent move — pork-cutlet ramen with the heat dialed up, the kind of bowl that makes you sweat and then thank the kitchen.
The Thai end of the menu is broader than just panang — pad thai is on offer, drunken noodles are on offer, the standard Thai red and green curries are all there. None of them are quite as authentic as what you'd get at Thai10, but all of them are competent. Ninja's Thai is the accessible version of Thai for a sit-down room.
The sit-down format is the differentiator from Ramen Fuji's smaller, more focused room. Ninja has servers, table service, a fuller dining-floor experience. That's a feature when you want to eat ramen with a date or with parents who don't want to do counter-order. The trade-off is a slightly slower pace and a slightly higher price point than Ramen Fuji.
Hours. Closed Tuesdays — same closure day as Ramen Fuji, which leaves the city without a dedicated ramen room on Tuesdays unless you go to Ichifuji (closed Mondays, open Tuesdays) or Taichi's customizable ramen (closed Mondays, open Tuesdays) or KPOT's all-you-can-eat (open daily). Plan accordingly.
The room is sit-down Asian-fusion, with the lighting dimmed slightly more than Ramen Fuji's and tables spaced for proper conversation. Booths along the walls, tables in the middle. Family-friendly but not as kid-coded as Tokyo. Good for parties of two through eight.
Parking. The strip-mall lot is large, well-lit, and easy. Same general area as Lao Szechuan and Taichi — the 41st Street corridor has multiple Asian options within a five-minute drive.
For takeout: ramen doesn't travel — you know the rule. The panang curry travels well. Coconut-based curries are forgiving on the road. The Thai noodle dishes travel fine. Most of the menu travels fine. The ramen is the exception. Eat the ramen at the restaurant. Take everything else home.
Cards and cash. The phone is (605) 271-8999. There is no standalone website. Facebook and delivery apps are the operating presence.
Compared to Ramen Fuji: Ninja is sit-down Thai-and-ramen; Ramen Fuji is counter-style ramen-only. If you specifically want ramen, Ramen Fuji is the better bowl. If you want ramen plus the option of Thai for a friend who doesn't want soup, Ninja is the more flexible answer. Different missions.
Compared to Pho Thai's family: Ninja's Thai end is more curry-focused than Pho Thai's noodle-focused Thai. The two menus overlap on a few items but mostly serve different cravings. If you want pad thai or drunken noodles, go to Pho Thai. If you want panang curry or massaman curry, go to Ninja.
Compared to Thai10 (the authentic Thai counter-order spot on North Minnesota): Thai10 is the deeper, more authentic Thai experience. Ninja is the more accessible, less authentic, sit-down hybrid. Thai10 if you're a Thai purist. Ninja if you're with a group that wants flexibility.
If you've never been: order the panang curry with chicken, the kimchi ramen, and split a Thai-style appetizer (spring rolls or chicken satay). About $30 a head. That's the introduction.
If you're a regular: rotate through the ramen bowls. The spicy tonkatsu is the indulgent move; the regular tonkatsu is the comfort move; the kimchi ramen is the fusion move. The kitchen rotates seasonal specials too — ask the server.
For groups: parties of six or more should call ahead. The dining room flexes well with notice.
The operating-niche framing. Ninja occupies the sit-down ramen-and-Thai hybrid niche, which no other room in the city is filling. Ramen Fuji is too counter-style. Pho Thai is too broad. Phnom Penh is too singular. Ninja is the dinner-table room for diners who want both ramen and Thai under one roof, with table service.
The bottom line. Ninja Ramen & Thai is the sit-down ramen-and-Thai hybrid for the west-side 41st Street corridor. 4.3 stars at 369 reviews. Closed Tuesdays. Useful for groups that can't pick a cuisine. Worth knowing about as a Tuesday-ramen alternative when Ramen Fuji is closed — except wait, Ninja is also closed Tuesdays. On Tuesdays, you go to Ichifuji.