Kelly P.

Excellent ambiance, food, and service. There is a tree in the center of the restaurant that is gorgeous! You are welcomed in and out! They are cashless, so make sure to have your card! I ordered the beef curry ramen and it was divine!

Brian F.

Weird, I ate here in June 2024, and I thought I left a review? I have the photos to show it (see images attached). I was planning on updating my review to add a star. But unfortunately, though the cleanliness was much improved and the service much tighter, the food overall was slightly below average. This time around, we ordered a white miso ramen, a spicy red miso ramen, a chicken ramen, and a spicy veggie ramen. Here are my ratings after tasting and comparing each one. Chicken ramen - 1/5 - not good - The broth was tasteless, needed salt or other seasoning and the chicken itself was lacking in flavor. Spicy red miso ramen - 2/5 - okay - The flavor was decent and the spice was right. I could've used more broth as the red miso was super thick. I don't know if that's the style, but it was more of a ramen goop than a ramen soup. Lastly, they use a flat noodle here, which I guess I didn't read on the menu. That's my bad. White miso ramen - 3/5 - average - This featured a decent broth, with a good taste and nice consistency. Nothing outstanding, but I'd still recommend for someone looking for subtle flavor. Spicy veggie ramen - 4/5 - good - This is the best ramen on the menu. The broth was clean and full of flavor, crystal clear and savory. With the spice, noodles, and veggies, you don't even miss the protein. Honestly, I've been here twice now and though service has improved greatly, the ramen is not a standout. It's good for the novice ramen eater and worth a try if you've never had ramen.

Vicky A.

First time here and so far it's been pretty good. Appetizers Japanese calamari delicious. We ordered beef curry ramen. Looks delicious. I ordered spicy level 2, my husband level 4. Will see. So it's absolutely delicious. Very rich, tasty and #2 spice is perfect for me. My husband loves #4 he ordered. Definitely will be coming back soon our server was so sweet and friendly. Love this place and thank you Jose

Jim S.

This is my update of Chicago Ramen Algonquin. I was actually in the mood for ramen so I made the recommendation to eat at CRA. The last time I got the spicy red miso ramen and this time I wanted to change it up. I went with the spicy white miso ramen. I placed our order through door dash and got my wife the usual spicy red miso. I placed our order and it said it would be ready in 30 mins but after I placed the order it said it already ready in 15 mins. OK, I guess. My wife went for pick up and this time around it was without any hiccups. They were dead and she went right in and picked up. When we got home the broth was packaged in the container that's usually reserved for the noodles and toppings and I afraid it was going to leak and luckily it didn't! Now if you read my previous review, I was not fond of the flat style noodles that they used for the spicy red miso ramen and to my surprise the spicy white miso ramen uses the spaghetti round thin curly noodles! This type of noodle was not advertised or detailed anywhere on the menu but boy was I happy! I prefer these noodles with my ramen. I put everything together and boy I tell you what, the spicy miso paste was a on a different heat/spicy level today. I was sweating, pounding the table, chugging water, and my kids kept asking me if I was OK. BUT I loved every sip of it. WOOF. It was a damn good bowl of spicy af ramen. However, I want to add a word of caution or Pro Tip: Please make sure to check your order. With my wife's spicy red miso ramen, I added an extra egg and when we got home they didn't include the extra egg even though I paid for it :( CRA has made it into the rotation of go-to ramen joints in our house hold but just make sure to double check your order if you order for pick up as they still need to work on their order processes.

Kayla S.

We always go to Chicago Ramen in Des Plaines. We love Chicago Ramen. We always start with the spicy tuna bowl as an appetizer because we are sushi lovers. The rice wasn't good at this location. I dont know if it was the type of rice used or the cooking time of the rice, but it was hard so that threw us off. We still ate it. The fish was delicious. The portions are large. I can never finish a bowl on my own. The Des Plaines location adds a lot more green onions which I love. They don't do that here. The broth was flavorful and meat was tender. The interior is nice and roomy. We will always come back to Chicago Ramen, but we would prefer going to the Des Plaines location.

Diana M.

You know the service was great, waitresses were attentive and food came out pretty quick which was a huge plus. The ambiance is very nice they have a beautiful cherry blossom tree in the center. However I definitely feel like spicy ramen missed the mark for me and my husband, it lacked flavor and was a lot thicker than I'm use to. The popcorn shrimp appetizer was better than the main dish. I definitely felt like it was on the pricier side a draft beer came out to $9, and quite honestly those are city prices. I think I would've given it a 3 star rating had it been less expensive, hurts my purse strings paying $70 for food that wasn't the best.

Merrill D.

Its nice to have a few ramen spots near us now, it saves us from making a ramen pilgrimage to the east. You can count on good quality ramen at Chicago Ramen. This location, as most locations, is a bit cozy but pleasing to the eyeballs. We were being coaxed into sitting on stools, otherwise, a booth would have to be cleaned. We waited for the booth. I felt bad for the young lady serving, she had to hold the fort down all by herself. As a result, service was a smidge slow and inaccurate. The ramen was delicious. I got spicy chicken ramen with egg, extra veggies, and char siu on the side because shut up I'm hungry. This chicken broth is the definition of comfort, try it on its own before mixing, trust me. I knew the chicken slices may be lackluster but I wanted that broth. Thats also why I got a side of char siu which was magnifique. The noodles were perfect. The beef curry ramen emitted a unique and pleasing bouquet of spicy fragrance, with softer flat noodles. It was satisfyingly spicy. Karaage was super hot, fresh, and delicious. Um, soda comes in cans. They serve tsukemen! Gotta come back to try it. You really can't go wrong with a hot bowl of good quality ramen. Chicago Ramen has a menu that does not overwhelm, in a good way. A great addition to The Commons if you want to stay away from fast food.

Karyn M.

I didn't realize this was a sitdown restaurant, I thought it was the kind of place you ordered at a kiosk. But I had 10 minutes before the Yelp event around the corner and I was starving. I asked for a pork char shu bowl -- I thought it would be easier to scarf down than ramen. And I was right -- it was ready in under 5 minutes and I sat in my car and ate it all. Well, not all of the rice...that would be too heavy...but all of the pork! It was tender, flavorful and delicious! I didn't take a breath! But this is a ramen place so I'll have to try that. The restaurant was cute, with a cherry tree in the center and the staff was very friendly.

Dawn P.

Despite being disgustingly hot in the restaurant (not sure if the AC wasn't working, or if the kitchen, which takes up 1/3 of the restaurant, keeps it warm in there - it was 91 degrees out when we left the restaurant and it literally seemed cooler outside than inside), the food was AMAZING and the service was pretty great, too! The ramen wasn't salty whatsoever and was packed with noodles and veggies. Sooo good! We'll definitely be back. Hopefully it will be cooler in there....

J L.

I've been here since they've opened last year, and the food is so delicious. This place is perfect for this winter season as its ramen leaves you full and comfortably warm. It's still a great place regardless of the season if you just crave ramen. If you prefer something other than ramen, they do have separate menus for rice bowls, curry rice (with chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, or vegetables), sushi rolls, drinks, and dessert (crepes & ice cream). I've tried the following dishes so far: Ramen: Spicy Red Miso Spicy White Miso Red Miso White Miso Appetizers: Fried Calamari Gyoza Takoyaki Shrimp Tempura Hot Dogs: Beef Sukiyaki hot dog Chicken Karage hot dog Sushi: Blue crab roll California Roll Food: * The ramen is very flavorful, decently portioned, and the Chashu (pork) they give you is big and soft, that it melts in your mouth. The broth for the red and white miso is creamy, packs a lot of flavor (salty, garlicky, and topped with onions). All tables and counters have toppings you can add yourself should you need them, but the ramen flavor is already perfect to me. * The appetizers and sushi rolls were fresh and tasty - portions are ok, not a lot, but not too little either, so it's good for 3 people to share if youre not a big eater. Service: All servers have been kind. Attentive and check in from time to time. Ambiance/seating: It's not the biggest place but spacious enough. Theres booths, tables, a big table in the middle, and a counter by the kitchen where you can see the chefs cook. The big table in the middle and the counter is mostly shared with other strangers. If you prefer a booth or a table instead, just let the employees know, but you'll have to wait a bit. Feedback to restaurant: * "Please Wait to be Seated" sign: it would be very beneficial to have this sign by the door. This can avoid confusion for both the staff (to determine who is a new customer vs. which customer is already seated and waiting for their food) and customers (have a better chance of being seen and be seated by a server rather than just sitting down themselves). * "Take Out" waiting area: I noticed that customers waiting to pick up their orders are either awkwardly standing near the bathroom area or the unused counter space on the other side of the restaurant. If there is a designated area (with a sign too), then it should help direct the flow of customers who are only there for takeout. * Menu Descriptions: While I appreciate the flavor descriptions, it would be better to list out what the ingredients are in each ramen dish; like what the broth is made of (pork? chicken? Is it the same broth for all ramen dishes or just specific ones?). Also, what else is in the ramen (e.g., type of noodles, bamboo shoots, etc.). This can help customers understand what they will be eating, especially if they're eating ramen for the first time. Tips for customers: * Be patient and understanding - authentic ramen takes time to make as the cooks are serving them fresh for every customer (15-20mins) There are times when it's busy, so they're handling both dine-in and take-out orders which may take them longer. Also there may be some staff members who do not speak english fluently so be kind if it's difficult to understand what is being said to you and the same for them. Overall, it's a great place to go for some very flavorful, delicious ramen, especially during the winter season or when it's just cold outside, or just after a long day of shopping in Algonquin Commons.