Yes, it's ramen tapas. A very interesting and fun idea. My fiancé and I were walking to dinner and walked by this place- the concept was so interesting and we were so curious, that we had decided to stop in. The place is small with about 15-20 seats, maybe. The seats are wooden and very uncomfortable- not what I want while I'm sitting in a restaurant. We ordered the tan tan men and cheesie ramen. The bowls are certainly tiny and I had finished my noodles in two bites. I am big on a good broth AND noodle when it comes to ramen. The tan tan broth is quite flavorful but a little oily for me. The noodles were soggy- I like a good, firm and chewy noodle but this was soggy. We both were not a fan of the cheesie ramen- it just wasn't flavorful. They also only offer beer for alcohol- no wine or other liquor-just FYI. Our server was super friendly and kind. He offered us to write down a wish on their wish wall (to the right of the entrance, right when you walk in). We loved that and each had written a wish. Overall, I'd stop by again but only because my fiancé loves the place :) read more

One of the best ramen I ever ate. Restaurant might be small but the food is amazing with limited seating. Tried shrimp tempura and kaarage chicken ramen. It was delicious. read more

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Definitely a great bang for your buck! Friends Ramen has a great variety of menu options, but we certainly came for the Ramen. Our appetites were not heavy, but we were really craving Ramen and the smaller portion size option was absolutely perfect. Ramen can sometimes be a little too filling and having a smaller portion option definitely sets this shop apart from the rest. Enough about the size though that's not what matters, right? That's true in this scenario at least. The broth was creamy and flavorful, filled with umami and salty goodness. The noodles weren't quite as springy as I have experienced elsewhere, but they certainly lived up to the hype. Unlike many Ramen shops, the coveted toppings were full of freshness and flavor. If you are ever in the downtown area, or perhaps a Loyola student living nearby, you definitely need to try out Friends Ramen read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a very small restaurant so if you don't want to wait inline get there before 6 pm. We ordered two combos one with chicken ramen, chicken gyoza and salad and the other one with Veggie Spicy Miso Ramen, Vegetable gyoza and salad. I recommend getting the combo if you don't want just the ramen, if you do want just the ramen, I would ask for a large bowl, the small one is not enough if you will only eat ramen. You can also order 2-3 smaller ones with different flavors and try a couple of the many options that they offer. Chicken Ramen  egg noodle, vegetable soup, steamed chicken, scallion, kale, ginger, bamboo topped with fried shallot Chicken Gyoza Deep-fried chicken dumpling with house sauce Veggie Spicy Miso Ramen  rice noodle, vegetable soup, corn, bamboo, tofu, scallion, fungus, shichimi togarashi, miso & chili paste Vegetable Gyoza Deep-fried veggies dumping serve with house sauce House salad spring mix, lettuce, carrot, corn, tomato with wasabi ginger dressing read more

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What a cute little place !On theses cold days a bowl of warm soup is just what we needed we were staying very close to this restaurant and decided to stop by and check it out and definitely will make another visit on our next trip to Chicago. It is on the small side about 7-8 tables only but we didn't have to wait for a table thankfully there was some available when we arrived. Our server was friendly and checked on us to make sure we didn't need anything else. The food didn't take to long and were smaller portions (they do have larger bowls if you want) but it was perfect for us to get a few appetizers also. The food was good flavorful and just hit that spot ,the lighting in the restaurant is dim but also works with there decor very cool place. Thanks again!! read more

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After living in this area for so long and passing Friends Ramen time after time, I finally had a chance to try this place out! Friends Ramen is a small restaurant that was busy when I came here with a friend. We were offered seating in the bar area tucked around the corner, which was nice and private-feeling. I tried 2 small bowls of ramen -- the chicken katsu and the tan tan men. The chicken katsu was tasty and the tan tan men had a delicious broth. I enjoyed the noodles more than I expected to. Although they come in small portions, I think the price is fair, seeing as this allows you to try more things out at a time. Being in a fairly touristy area, the prices are also fair in this aspect. Be sure to check-in on Yelp to enjoy a 10% discount (at least at the time of this review)! Service was quick and extraordinarily friendly. At the end, they gave us markers and paper for us to hang our wishes up on the wall next to the entrance. Cute, tasty, and friendly place that I recommend trying out if you're in the area! read more

An abysmal performance of service. I walked here on a Saturday night (Labor Day weekend) about 8:30pm. Friends Sushi is next door FYI. Friends Ramen is very small, room for maybe about 10 tables of 4 max. There is one larger table that looks like it fits posssssibly six and some seats at the 'bar'/kitchen. Neat restaurant in terms of decor, all wood even tables and benches. I don't know the scheduling of servers and if someone called out unexpectedly but there was only one server for the entire restaurant. I always try to give the benefit of the doubt and be patient. After waiting an excessive amount of time for everything: a menu, for my order to be taken, for my food - my patience wore thin. The server put my order in wrong so they had to remake it. It's a fairly small portion, but just enough. I wanted to try the rice dish later so while eating I put in a to go order. It came out and on the receipt it was incorrect AGAIN. He messed up both of my non-complicated orders. He was apologetic but after all of this no compensation. In addition there is a check in offer I believe 10% off your bill, I showed him that and after the order fiasco he forgot to take it off the bill but at the point I just wanted to leave. In terms of food, delish. read more

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Short wait (5 minutes) during a busy Sunday evening. The restaurant is small but has a very cozy vibe and was playing 90s throwbacks. Small portions go for $6 and large portions go for $15. I got the large Tan Tan Men and was expecting a larger portion (the bowl was HUGE but most of it was broth), though it was tasty. I would recommend coming here and trying a bunch of the small dishes instead of getting a $15 large ramen so that you can try more things on the menu. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow! This place is so tiny but I love the vibe. It feels very authentic. I ordered the spicy miso and takoyaki to go and man... I was not disappointed. It was the prefect amount of Ramen. Spicy but not overly spicy. I wish I had a little more broth but it was really good! The takoyaki was absolutely amazing. The servers were awesome too, they were definitely working hard with all the people who were inside eating. I definitely must dine in next time. read more

this place is small and cozy. No nonsense little ramen place . Food was great. Broth for the spicy miso ramen was flavorful, not too salty, perfect umami. I wish there was a medium size though. Tako yako was perfect and filling on its own. The sake was ! read more

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This review is for this State St site not the one by the Art Institute - never been to that one. People are confusing them in the reviews. My daughter and I loved this place!!!! Adorable little hole in the wall with extremely friendly service and great food - we loved loved loved that we could order cup sized portions and try several different dishes!!!!! And their homemade chili oil was outstanding!!!!!! Our waiter was adorable, he actually admitted he thought I'd be grabbing for my water after I scooped up a big bite But this old lady was born eating spicy food - only wish I had thought to try to buy some to take home - that will be on my to-do list next trip to Chicago read more

I've been a couple times now and there's some good and actually a lot more that needs improvement. I've had the chicken gyoza, pork belly rice bowl and Karaage chicken ramen. Both visits were take-out. Their current space is really small, very tight with music blaring so it's a hard pass for me right now. The to-go ordering systems are terrible. You can use Grub-hub but as most of us have learned by now, all the menu items are more money. You can't use their system because it's a hard stop at the phone field for some reason. It thinks you're overseas. If you use Grub-hub it adds 40 minutes as if it's a delivery or something so be prepared. They need to work on the website issue. Not happy with the to-go packaging. They need to replace the styrofoam with something else. Anything recyclable would be fine. The chicken gyoza are good. The sticky sweet sauce that comes with it isn't my personal preference but this is a good appetizer. I ordered the pork belly rice bowl with scallion and kimchi add-ons. Too much money for the add-ons and the rice bowl was pretty boring. I ended up adding some soy sauce from my pantry and it was just ok. I like the kimchi but for $2, put some more in the huge cup they sent it in. The Karaage chicken ramen was the best of the three things I tried. On the website, you can sub rice noodles for egg noodles but when you call them you'll get push back for some reason and on the website, either are a $1 uncharge which is ridiculous. We insisted on rice noodles and after an argument, they relented. It was very tasty, a little aggressively spicy for me but I liked it. It's not inexpensive. They have a ton of things to work on here if they care to do so. It's a welcome addition to the neighborhood and you should give it a try. Maybe if we support them for awhile, they'll figure it out. read more

Love the fact you can get small Ramen bowls here . It helps because what I had I loved. Chicken Karage ramen followed up by spicy miso ramen. read more

Friends Ramen - Karaage ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came on Thursday night around 8PM with no wait! (Note: obviously don't sit in front of the door during winter or else you'll get nothing but cold breeze) Chicken Karaage - the sauce was good and tangy and portions is decent. Not like the other ramen spots that only give you 4 prices.(A lot like this in Los Angeles) Pork Belly Buns - this was good! The taste of the hoisin sauce + pork + bun mixed really well. Tasted like the Tristina Chinese buns you would get at a night market! Dan Dan Ramen - unfortunately this was just okay. I got the small bowl and glad I did. The ramen was just the right tenderness however the soup didn't taste very good and it was super salty. For a ramen shop and the noodles being the worst on the menu... :/ Final notes : most likely won't come back but Maybe if I'm looking for some quick pork buns. read more

Friends Ramen - Pork bun, chicken karaage , Dan Dan ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This ramen is so good and the spot has such a great ambience l, although if I were tall I don't think I'd like it as much. Looks like this cool whole in the spot. I recommend getting the large portion, the small is tiny! Spicy miso all the way. read more

Friends Ramen - Spicy Veggie Miso Ramen Large, Edamame - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The ramen was not the most delicious that I've had but it was fairly good. The big portion is a little big but the small portion is too small. The on-the-go ramen was not as good as the spicy miso ramen. It was a little warm and humid in the restaurant because of the open kitchen, but the décor was interesting looking. Would recommend as a casual lunch place. read more

Small little ramen place that offers great ramen choices, rice bowls, lunch combinations, etc Same chain as Friends Sushi on rush st- they have Friends Ramen and also another Friends Sushi right next door to their ramen shop. It's small but I loved the esthetic of the dark wood, the shape of the table and chairs- you feel like you're in a small Japanese izakaya restaurant. First of all- I love their portion size- it's considered "small" to a lot of people but that's why it's fun- you can order more than one ramen dish to try two or three flavors at a time! And at $6 each- it's a really great deal and you don't feel bad ordering a ton of food. I got their "on go" ramen with pork belly, hard boiled egg, egg noodles, chicken/pork broth, corn- it was delicious and had a lot of flavors- the broth was refreshing- I also got their special of the day "shrimp tempura bun" with spicy mayo- two buns came out- the bun was soft, shrimp perfectly fried, good kick to the sauce- the bun was so hot when I held it- you can tell they make the food as you order it! I cannot wait to come back and try their other dishes- Also- here's the kicker: when you go to the bathroom they have a two way mirror so you can see the people outside while you're in the restroom- kind of creepy but funny haha not sure why they added this element but whatever- read more

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I have been to many ramen shops and considering that ramen is one of my favorite foods, I really loved this place! The ambiance is so amazing and welcoming! A lot of Japanese style decorations as well as cute little wooden booths that made it very homey. My favorite thing about this restaurant that I have not ever seen before is that they have two portions, a small and large. I loved this because you can get several small bowls to try different flavors and not have to stick to one!! For someone who is very indecisive this was a dream come true to me! I am very picky about the pork belly used for ramen because most times it is very fatty and not flavorful but I was so impressed by how amazing it was. I was also a little skeptical about ordering a seafood ramen but the shrimp tasted very fresh and flavorful as well! The broth was also so flavorful and almost to die for. The gyozas were crunchy which is different for me because all the gyozas I've ever tried are soft and melt in your mouth but they were still amazing and different. I really wanted to order the mochi for dessert but I was just so full I couldn't dare eat anymore! I highly recommend this shop to anyone who loves ramen like myself or someone who hasn't tried and wants to! The warm bowl is exactly what you need in the Windy City. read more

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Uh, this place is not good. There's no flavor to anything. I got the small on the go ramen and I'm glad I got a small because it tasted like nothing. There were bones or some type of very hard cartridge in the pork belly and we had three different items that contained pork belly and each item had a hard piece! Not very friendly if a child were to eat it. We got the pork belly buns which I would not recommend since it's just very over cooked pork with a ton of hoisin sauce to give it flavor. The s/o got the pork belly rice bowl and it was awful.. he described the sauce in the rice as "brown water". He only took a few bites and gave up. True what one reviewer said.. small portions but big $$$ but then again you wouldn't want to eat it all since there's no taste so you wouldn't mind getting a small portion. The only good thing was our cold Sapporo beer and the server was nice and also we were lucky and came in to take the last table. They have 5 tables right now to seat you at. But I wouldn't come again. Our bill was $50 with tip. read more

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I was not prepared for how small the small is. Normally when I order from a ramen house the small is like a standard size and the large is like a super large/ jumbo size. I assumed for $10 it would be a little bigger. It was more like a snack. The large is Don't get me wrong it was very good and I might order again. read more

Friends Ramen - Tan Tan Men Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered the Tan Tan Man and Kimichi Ramen. Kimicha ramen came first and it was absolutely amazing:). As others have mentioned, the ramen are in very small portion, feel like it's less than instant noodle, but it gives you the opportunity to try different ramens. Tan Tan man was also great! Both Ramen have broth that are just the right spicy level (not at all spicy for me), and it's not salty. I also tried the Ikezo Sparking Jelly Sake in Peach flavor. Great taste and a must try if you never tried jelly sake! My favorite ramen place in Chicago now:) read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I wanted to love it! The shrimp tempura and potsticker appetizers were good but the actual ramen was a little light on flavor. Unique and fun decor so it is an interesting place to checkout. Service was pretty standard, not bad but not above and beyond. Would love to check out the sister restaurants located next door read more

Small bowls $6, large is $15. Waiter suggest to order a few small bowls to try different items. Agreed. Everything was very unique, customized to your liking and delicious. Lost of star was due to soup broth not being bubbly boiling to my liking. Everything else was great, pork belly rice bowl is on the sweeter rather than salty side read more

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Ramen was flavorful, the meat was very juicy and tender, full of flavor I really enjoyed it. Got the small size since I was afraid I wouldn't like it lol but I did, next time bigger bowl. read more

Friends Ramen - Min - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Friends Ramen is a really cool atmosphere and think it's awesome they offered half portions which allows people to order a lot of different things to try out! I ordered 2 half sizes & my order was ready in about 3-5 minutes. I thought the broth was overall average which is why I have a 3. Would say it's a great spot to check out for a quick bite with a cool environment! read more

Meh.... their ramen is not very flavorful and is a pretty small portion for $16. There is better ramen to be had in Chicago. The highlight of the meal is that this place has frozen mugs you can get beer in. Very refreshing Sapporo read more

Service was quick and food was hot, fresh and very tasty. We will definitely eat here on our future visits to Chicago!

The prices here are cheap, but so is the quality. You're essentially paying $6 for instant ramen you could get at the store for less than $1. I even have pictures of packets of instant noodles in the restaurant. For something that is suppose to be fast, we also waited a while for our food (came in and sat at the bar as a party of 2 on friday around 5pm) All in all, it wasn't the best experience and food was way overpriced for what it is. I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

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Some of the other reviews were pretty harsh. The rumors about every ramen dish you get being from an 99 cent instant pack of ramen are untrue. On my way to the bathroom, I definitely saw their noodle boiling station, a woman cutting up pieces of pork belly and cooking them, and the chicken karage I ate tasted fried in house (even if not fried to order). With that said, the ramen was $6. It was not the simmered-for-48hours-pork-broth kind of ramen broth, but it wasn't bad at all. Obviously not the best I've had, but it was actually good, cheap, and the portion was small, which for what I wanted it hit the spot fine. Couple of small pieces of pork belly in my spicy miso ramen, pretty satisfied. The chicken karaage wasn't the authentic way--big plumpy juicy pieces of fried chicken--and more like small popcorn chicken, but I still enjoyed. For $6, it's damn good. If it was priced $15, obviously this would be a different review. Perspective is everything. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's a hard no for me. Karaage Chicken with rice - tasted like pre-cooked tysons chicken refried with spicy Mayo sauce on top. It was gummy like refried chicken and the texture was that of something old that you'd find in the back of your fridge. The Ramen was spaghetti noodles, chicken broth, corn, and four small pieces of pork belly. It was the worst attempt at Ramen that I've ever had. I mean at least avoid using $.50 spaghetti noodles if you charge $18 a bowl. The bowl was half empty or half full if you are a positive thinker, and it was full of corn. It felt like someone looked in their fridge and used only the cheapest ingredients to accomplish a recipe that they didn't want to execute on. The other side dishes were cold, gummy and flavorless. The sauces were basically sugar and soy sauce. I have never eaten somewhere that took so many short cuts in their ingredients, I wanted to like this place. read more

Amazing taste and portion sizes. Tan tan men ramen, pork belly rice bowl, chicken gyoza and pork belly bun. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ordered to take out Tan Tan Ramen and it was very quick and very delicious! Love the broth and the pouch egg it is well balanced flavors and good portion size for the large bowl. Friendly services from the staff who took my order over the phone and in person when I picked up. Will come back again to try different Ramen. read more

I had lunch here last week and probably should have read the reviews a little more closely before coming here. However, I was glad I made a visit. Friends Ramen is a rather small place. There is a community table in front of the kitchen (with stool seating) and a small dining room that can seat at most 20 people. I would not recommend this place for large groups. The first thing I noticed on the menu were the prices. They were cheap! It was $6 for a bowl of ramen. But I knew there was a catch and there was. The bowls are tiny!! I got the spicy ramen as well as a pork rice bowl. The ramen was excellent and I loved the flavor. There was a quarter of an egg plus two pieces of cha shiu. The rice bowl was okay. A suggestion for management would be to offer "normal sized" portions and just charge more. I'd rather have a larger bowl of soup than ordering a bunch of tiny dishes. If they were trying to go for a "small plates" concept, I don't think that works with ramen. On the other hand, given the smaller portions one can try a few bowls at a single sitting!! read more

Friends Ramen - Spice ramen... see how tiny the bowl is! The spoon is for comparison. - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was a fantastic ramen and carry out place. I even was able to have a beer while I waiting for the food. Fantastic food, exceptional service and cool ambiance. I can't wait to eat in the restaurant when dining opens up. I wish they had outdoor seating... read more

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The food is fine but the service is not that good compared to the price. The waitress seemed bored and arrogant. Not recommended. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The music, food, and staff were great. The large bowl was bigger than I expected. The spicy ramen had so much flavor and wasn't too spicy! Overall, good experience. I will be back. read more

Friends Ramen - Shrimp Tempura (4 pcs), Edamame, Spicy Miso Ramen Large - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love this place. I get the same thing every time, the On the Go. i tried spicy one time, and believe me it is very spicy. Small place and unpretentious, but an interesting look. I haven't tried a lot on the menu, but I totally recommend this place. read more

Ramen overall was really tasty! I also ordered a simple avocado roll which was pretty typical and tasty. My friend had ordered her ramen without mushrooms. She received it with mushrooms so the server took care of it. But when she brought it back, it basically was as if they just picked out all the pieces from the Ramen itself as there was a piece or two that was still left. I don't want to make assumptions but just a disclaimer in case anyone has allergies to just be careful to specify that in the beginning. Overall cool place and good food. read more

I absolutely loved it. Me and my boyfriend visited after researching ramen places in the area. I loved everything. The customer service was FANTASTIC. The girl serving us was super friendly and on top of everything. The food was so good, very warm and tasty. I definitely would recommend this place! Very small but that's what makes it so cute read more

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I ordered the spicy miso ramen and pork belly bao buns as a to-go order and I am impressed!! The ramen is flavorful and the noodles are the perfect texture. The bao buns are also delicious. My first of many orders!! I will note that, while flavorful and delicious, the spicy miso ramen isn't particularly spicy but it's exactly how I personally like it so I am thrilled. read more

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