Stopped in on probably the coldest night of 2020 to date. We took our daughter and her friends downtown to check out the Sbux Reserve and we were looking forward to a hot bowl of ramen to warm up. We used the waitlist system via Yelp and the process was pretty smooth. Upon arrival I let the server know we were here and I guess it didn't really matter that I was on the waitlist. You pretty much wait in the tiny corridor to be seated first come first serve. We only waited about 10 minutes so that wasn't bad at all. The space is small with about 7 tables and then counter seating by the kitchen. Our server was pretty prompt and took our order right away. We'd hated a few apps and had a few different types of ramen. The shrimp tempura was my favorite appetizer. It was tasty and I guess the word I'm looking for is fluffy. The crab shumai was OK. Steamed and pretty small. The takoyaki was OK too. I had a small bowl of the seafood ramen. Luckily, I wasn't that hungry because that bowl was teeny tiny! It came with one shrimp and a few pieces of crab. The noodles were thick and reminded me of bun bo hue noodles. The broth was creamy. Hubby got the fried chicken ramen. I liked his broth over mine as it had more of a buttery flavor. Our daughter got the on the run ramen and she liked it. The broth was creamy as well. Overall, the ramen hit the spot. The food was good but hubby and daughter did comment that the egg was just hard boiled and they're used to a soft boiled egg in ramen. read more

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Stumbled upon here right next to our hotel and it was such a great surprise! I love how they have "mini" portions so you can try a little bit of everything. You can make reservations here but can also walk in. We walked in and luckily got sat within a few minutes. 5/5 - Shrimp tempura 5/5 - Ebi katsu 5/5 - chicken karaage; love the sauce they sprinkle on top! 5/5 - Tan tan men ramen 3/5 - chicken karaage ramen; chicken karaage shouldn't go together with ramen read more

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Such a cute and authentic Japanese, hole-in-the-wall near Magnificent Mile. My fiancée surprised me again. This was one of my favorites during our trip to Chicago. It will feel like you're having lunch or a late night dinner at one of the many train stations in Japan. The wooden stalls lining up the floor and limited square footage is similar to what you would see in Japan. The menu has your standard Japanese items but what it is unique is the concept of 'flight ramen / tapas' where you can order up to three ramen noodle soups ($6/each) and it will come on a flight similar to beers. This is best when shared with two people. I was able to try three delicious flavors and also not feel too full from the experience. Ordered - Veggie Spicy Ramen (4/5). Spicy, a bit unconventional to traditional ramen taste and noodles, but so good. I wasn't a fan in the beginning but grown to like it as I delved more into it. - Chicken Karaage (4/5). The bite sized fried chicken pieces reminded me of Japan and the broth was unique and pretty smooth. - Tan Tan Mian (4.5/5). Classic ramen - can't go wrong with this. Pro-tip for my Yelpers - if you check-in via Yelp, there will be 10% off so make sure to do that. Friends Ramen is a favorite of mine and I can't wait to visit it again or show others the next time I'm back. read more

Friends Ramen - Veggie Spice Ramen (4/5), Chicken Karaage (4/5), and Tan Tan Mian (4.5/5) - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were so happy to find this little gem of a restaurant! My kid has just recently fallen in love with ramen, so she was pumped to try the real deal. Cool decor with something noteworthy to look at on every wall. The staff was extremely helpful with ordering and brought out chopstick helpers for both kids. They were so excited to order just straight noodles and broth and ate every bite of it. My husband had the spicy miso ramen and said it was absolutely delicious. My On the Go ramen was also delicious -- the pork was so tender and tasty. We will absolutely be visiting again during our next trip! read more

Friends Ramen - On the Go Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good but not great. The booths were incredibly uncomfortable, which made the overall experience less than enjoyable. The appetizers were really tasty though, and I loved the small portions of the main menu items. The pork belly rice bowl was the best dish. The spicy ramen was good but ridiculously spicy; it made it hard to taste the yummy broth. I'd get takeout from here and be more careful about what I ordered, but I probably wouldn't dine in again. read more

Friends Ramen - Veggie Spicy Miso Ramen TOGO Spicy Miso Ramen TOGO Pork Belly Rice Bowl TOGO Tan Tan Men TOGO - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ramen so delicious, I kept dreaming about it. While on travel for work, I had the craving for ramen. After searching nearby ramen shops, I decided on Friends ramen. Flavors were so amazing, I had the spicy shoyu ramen and want to come back again and again. I recommend going for the ramen if you live nearby or visiting in town and in the mood for ramen. read more

Friends Ramen - Spicy Miso Ramen Small - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute lil ramen spot in river north aint much more to say. Must say service was incredibly fast which was v important to me cuz i was ina rush. Also hope u like SPICE cuz ur GETTING IT ik i do so thumbs up from me... read more

I ordered the Tan Tan ramen and chicken kaarage appetizer. Satisfied my ramen craving. Would come back if I was in the area. Broth was light and slightly sweet. Noodles were round, similar to spaghetti. Soft texture. Egg was simple soft boiled. Pork belly Chicken was lightly breaded and had a mayo sauce over it. Good flavor. read more

Service was good and the ambience is quaint. If you want something Asian and this is near you, this is a good choice at a reasonable price. However, if you are picky about your ramen and want something that tastes authentically Japanese, you may want to look elsewhere. Overall we were happy with our experience but hoping for a bit more umami in the food. read more

The atmosphere here makes you feel like you just stepped out of Chicago into the streets of Japan. Cozy, relaxed place with shockingly an awesome playlist of American r&b/calm club music. A very in-and-out experience so prepare yourself. The best and more unique quality about this ramen place is the option to order a SMALL ramen that way you can try a different bowl without feeling like a piggy. Friends Ramen supports the name, a wonderful stomping ground for lunchtime with coworkers or a quick bit with your lover. read more

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I was super excited to try Friends Ramen after walking past it so many times - ramen is one of my favorite foods. They have a very cool-girl ambience with loud music and wooden interiors. I decided to try takeout, where I ordered a large Spicy Miso Ramen with added Kimchi, soy sauce, and chicken gyoza. The order was ready literally one minute after it was accepted, despite an estimated wait time of 20-40 minutes. After a long walk to pick the food up, it had cooled down quite a bit. The ramen itself was tasty - just the right amount of spice and toppings. However, I was disappointed by the portion sizes for an $18 large cup of ramen. The kimchi that I paid $2 to add was also not included and I was very sad. When I called and asked about this mishap, they hung up on me. The chicken gyoza was very flavorful and had a great sauce pairing. It was an overall mediocre experience due to portions and a lack of attention to detail in the online order process. I did enjoy the ramen, but sadly don't think I would go out of my way to have it again. read more

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I stopped in here on my own while shopping nearby. I liked that they had an area for individuals to sit. My waitress was very fast and friendly. This is a smaller cute restaurant. However, I do not like the window in the bathroom that you can watch the chefs cook. It just felt creepy and uncomfortable. I would cover that up. I had a small bowl of the chicken karrage. I liked that the chicken was popcorn chicken, I thought the quality was very good. I wish I ordered the large bowl, so I ordered a second small bowl. The small bowl is a great option for people who want a light meal or for a late night snack. I also like that the offer combo options with the small bowls. Overall, I like the two different sizes and the amount of options given. I would definitely come back! read more

Friends Ramen - Chicken ramen small $6 - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

ORDER: My husband and I ordered a large spicy ramen, a small karaage ramen, and an order of takoyaki. Total was about $39 with tip. FLAVOR: I had a few negative impressions of the ramen which explains why I only gave 3 stars. The egg was hard boiled (not soft boiled as is common). The broth was lukewarm. I like my ramen broth hot. It doesn't have to be boiling, burn-my-mouth hot, but it should at least be steaming, which this wasn't. Lastly, the noodles are strange. They are a thicker texture than what I'm used to, and I think it's cuz they use egg noodles. I guess I'm not a fan. Not everything was bad however. The pork and the karaage itself were pretty good, and the takoyaki had huge pieces of octopus in it. But for ramen, I would absolutely choose somewhere else. LOCATION: it's a standalone shop. We took public transit to the Gold Coast and walked here so unsure about parking. Overall pretty easy to find. The ambiance was nice. They have wooden seats and tables (though nothing really for a party larger than 4). My husband compared it to being inside of a tree. The bathroom left much to be desired. TIME OF DAY: We went at around 430 on a Saturday. There were 2 other groups there when we went. Service was attentive and we got our food out within 10 minutes. read more

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I ordered takeout from Friends Ramen. I got the spicy miso and added ground pork. It was odd because I ordered at about 7 and it said the order would be complete in 20-40 min, but I got no text saying it was ready, so I showed up after an hour and there it was, very clearly ready and still no text. Aside from that part, the food itself was pretty good. To be fair, I was starving and could've eaten anything at that point and said it was delicious, so a little difficult for me to actually gauge the taste since I was just shoveling the food down. I liked the ground pork though, that was probably my favorite part. The egg was cooked for a little too long (probs cause I waited an hour). Finally, 2 hours after putting my order in and having since finished my food, I got the text that it was ready. I was seriously considering going back to see if they had another bowl, but decided against it. Overall, decent, but I've had better. Also I wish they would've texted me. read more

Nestled in Chicago's Good Coast on State street near the corner of Chicago avenue is Friends Ramen. A location of Friends Sushi is also in the same space. However, this review will only concern Friends Ramen. First, the decor will transport you to Japan. This not your typical Western ramen restaurant that is in a large room with many big tables. While this not a prototypical Japanese style ramen shop with a long bar and limited table seating, it does have the feel of if small Japanese isakyaki. They have a few small booths in a small front room. Second, the food is very good. I ordered two types of their ramen. The spicy miso ramen and the on the go ramen (mild broth with pork belly). Be ready for a large bit of spicy if you order the spicy miso ramen. The broth was very flavorful and the pork was tender. The noodles were thick and al dente and held the both well. If want something more mild then the on the god ramen is for you. Despite being a mild both, it had a nice flavor. I also ordered appetizers of takoyaki and Karaage (fried chicken). The takoyaki can out hot and yummy. The best part is that each ball contained large pieces of tako (octopus). The karaage was amazing. It was hot and crispy. The chicken was also tender and delicious. Third, the experience was a fun. Like I said above, the atmosphere was reminiscent of some restaurants I ate at in Japan. I loved being transported to another place for my meal. The largue Ramen bowls had cool pictures of cats on them which added to the charm. There were some negatives. First, the value was ok. Each large bowl of ramen was about $16.00, not cheap, but the going rate in the Golf Coast/River North area. Second, the egg in each bowl of ramen was overcooked. Rather than getting a nice semi-runny yolk of a spring egg, I got a fully cooked hard-boiled egg. Overall, Friends Ramen is a good neighborhood ramen shop. It's worth a visit for your ramen cravings. read more

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I've eaten here a few times now and came in on a Thursday evening with a group of friends. The place was packed and it was nice to see the restaurant doing well! Everything was delicious and simple at the same time. Nothing was complicated or hard to understand, which I appreciate. The ingredients on the page are the ingredients you expect and get. My personal favorite is, and always has been, the Ebi Katsu rice bowl. When it comes to ambiance, I really liked the aesthetic and environment. The restaurant makes you feel like you came into a small eatery in Japan with its wooden decor and traditional decor. In terms of service, there are places to improve on. We had to flag down the servers instead of them checking in on us. It was a busy night but it felt like the staff were more interested in all supporting the new walk-in customers than the advanced support of current customer. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Been here two times now. I am not very big on ramen so at first I did not want to come here, but I tried their chicken karage on rice and it was delicious! My sister loves ramen and tried different ones saying all are good as well. This place is a cute, small spot to come with a couple people but would not recommend for a large group as their is limited seating. But that's the only complaint I have. Now every time we come I just want the chicken karage. Also, you have the option of getting a small portion or large. If you get a small portion you can do combo and try two different dishes which is nice if you want to try more than one thing. read more

Friends Ramen - Chicken, cucumber with rice - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Something about their ramen just hits different! My boyfriend and I have tried many ramen shops in the city and we keep finding ourselves back here. We must have been here 20+ times. His go to is the chicken karaage ramen, in which the chicken stays nice and crispy in the rich broth. I have tried almost all the ramen and loved them all, especially the Tan tan men. I love that you can get a small bowl for really cheap, and the large bowl is priced comparably as most ramen places but is gigantic here. They also have delicious buns and sushi as well now. Seating is limited but no wait usually, they also do takeout/delivery. Good food, good service and always playing good music, highly recommend! read more

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

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Pretty good ramen! I got the spicy miso ramen and it was really tasty, in particular the pork belly was delicious. I would also like to call out that it's a great atmosphere for a solo dining experience. Will be visiting again! read more

Friends Ramen - Spicy miso ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My go-to for takeout ramen. Favorites on the menu include karaage chicken ramen and chicken gyoza. Great takeout option for colder months when you want a spicy bowl of ramen to warm you up! Friendly staff/service and speedy delivery! read more

It's a small place. So the atmosphere isn't the greatest. Service is good. And food is okay. Not my favorite but it's a decent spot in the neighborhood. read more

OMGG best ramen ever. Seriously one of the best places I've tried and I've had A LOT of ramen. (See my track record of reviews for reference and credibility) Amazing amazing so good I have nothing else to say but definitely underrated I've never heard of them before and I was staying in a hotel in River North which was closeby so we decided to give it a try. Can't wait to come back. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

From the second check in i guess you can say i love this place. lol Convenient! Affordable. delicious. Ramen. What more can you ask for!? This small yet famous and cute and quaint restaurant is the perfect spot for the Loyola college students that go to the water tower campus. I always go here after night class and it never disappoints. There is not one ramen bowl or rice bowl i wouldn't recommend. The pork buns are pretty decent too. The best part is paying $5-6 for each dish/meal. The customer service is always great and with the portions being one serving, if you do or don't like it there isn't much suffering to endure. I have never had or wanted to return a bowl of anything. read more

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The ambiance is great. I only came here once so far. I would happily come back to hang out. Lots of wood block furniture. Manga on the screen. Fun, dark, cool, rich, like a small, cozy cave, with a little back area. It reminds me of a little independent bookstore selling rare and used books. I'm no ramen aficionado. I only ordered the plain ramen and soup bowl. It seemed like spaghetti noodles in Campbell chicken soup. $3 can of coke. My friends' meals looked a lot better. Shrimp tempura. Pork roasted. I assume the noodles are low quality, and the soup, as I said, seemed canned. The service was good. Attentive. read more

Spicy Veggie Miso Ramen: It was trash. It tastes like water. No miso or spice found. It was so underwhelming, it's basically water. I added things to it at home to be able to eat this. Noodles also far too soft. I don't know why some places put out veggie broths that lack so hard in flavors. I'm definitely not returning. Some ramen places I liked instead: Wasabi, Strings, and High Five read more

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

Candy was a wonderful interaction to help correct a mistake made on a recent visit. Food was good, atmosphere was pleasant although the seating is kinda small and the pricing is a little bit higher than other places. Loved the decor in the restaurant. Overall we would go back if ever in the neighborhood. read more

This is my go-to spot for lunch and dinner when I don't know what to eat. Although this is a ramen shop I really love the rice bowls here as they give nice portions (you can pick out of 2 sizes). The ramen is also very tasty no matter what you decide to order. I also find the place to be very cute and the staff are attentive and not pushy. For pick up/take away the dishes are packed nicely and usually takes only 15-30mins to be ready. Very easy in and out! read more

Cute interior and good service and food, but on one visit we weren't sure the ramen was made with the proper noodles.

the staff are all very friendly and and attentive. and the food is always good. can't say much for the vibe because i very much ordered takeout but the vibe in there is always nice. read more

Aside from the aesthetic of the facility feeling like your in a local Japanese noodle shop the food here was a total miss. I ordered the tantan ramen and it very super bland in flavor and salt. Broth tastes like water and a very very light pork flavor broth, the noodles were also not egg noodles, it was something similar to vermicelli noodles in thickness and texture. I feel like the ramen is also considerably overpriced for the quality of ingredients used and lack there of. Overall very disappointing. read more

Such a cute and casual place! We got the shrimp tempura and shumai for starters followed by the chicken and spicy veggie ramen. It was so delicious and service was perfect. Would definitely recommend and go again! read more

Friends Ramen - Seating area - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I liked the the seating and cute portion size of the ramen soups. It's a good place to visit on a.cold day... they have vegetarian broth instead of pork which is great . The decor is minimalistic compared to the fancy sushi place with the Same name next door and I am surprised with the step sister treatment since it's common ownership . The food was good , our server Moses was very attentive and sweet. We will be back to use my 10% off with Yelp checkin which I forgot to use when paying the bill ! read more

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Friends Ramen is a pretty cool concept. Really cool interior vibe - feels like a casual izakaya. I think the atmosphere is a great place to catch up with friends over beer and snacks if you want a more casual vibe than going to a bar. Pretty centrally located and very cozy - so tends to feel very busy even when it's not to packed. They have a wide menu and the ramen bowls are very small so you can sample a bunch of the options. They have quite a few options that are all very different - miso, kimchi, even cheese. There's also quite a few other food options in smaller bites such as rice bowls as well as side snacks / appetizers. They have a drinks and beer menu as well, with some flavored sakes that I love. The portions are bigger than they look - I think three bowls of the ramen was stuffed for me. It's pretty easy to overorder but everything is very solid. My favorites are the kimchi ramen and also the spicy miso. They have some vegetarian options as well which is pretty great flexibility. My only complaint would be the noddles were a little too soft and soggy in all the bowls. Great atmosphere and really fun food format. read more

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Really enjoyed the atmosphere, food, and service at this restaurant. The seating is unique and enjoyed the music. We were served fast and food was ready to eat quickly. Food tasted really good. Broth was flavorful and there were plenty of noodles/meat in it. read more

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

I can't believe this gem of a place is so close to me. Their portions are small. I got Tan tan man which had only one piece of pork belly, some minced meat, a bit of fried garlic and spicy oil(??) and super fresh noodles. I loved it, it's the right amount for me along with their Fried chicken appetizer, which was bomb but again the portion size is small, which makes sense because the price is less too!! $6 each for ramen and fried chicken. My friend got Spicy miso ramen($6) and Takoyaki($5) which was very succulent and well-made. The broth for both the ramen was delicious, not as fatty as I'd have liked it to be but still good. With those prices, I think this place is a steal. We got our orders in 5 minutes. There were also some Asian drinks like Royal milk tea and they also had Sapporo beer on tap for $6. The place is small, it only has like 4,5 tables but it has a nice hangout feel to it read more

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VERY intimate. Seats are uncomfortable however i understand the aesthetic and the food completely makes up for it. I got the spicy miso ramen and it was perfection!!! THE CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE GYOZA ARE TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!!!! This is a perfect lunch or dinner spot if youre alone or with a friend! read more

Really enjoyed the vegan ramen. I like the fact that the potions are small. It's hard to find good quality vegan ramen in most places. Spice levels were just right and service was very good as well. read more

Friends Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The size options seemed odd at first: $6.50 for a small and $15.50 for a large. Where is the medium? But large turned out to be the perfect post-run meal for me on a cold winter day: that salty warm broth, yum! And the small seemed popular with other diners as part of the $16.50 combo meal. I got the chicken ramen in vegetable broth: the egg noodles have the right amount of chewiness and the broth was clean but still flavorful. There was a generous amount of chicken but didn't taste very fresh - hence the one star off. Otherwise, the understated entrance and the cute wooden furniture rounded out a great experience! read more

Friends Ramen - Chicken ramen in veggie broth - plenty of chicken but didn't taste very fresh - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered spicy miso ramen, niku ramen, chicken karaage, and pork belly buns. Prefacing this is going to be a harsh review because me and my friend have eaten authentic Japanese ramen before. The noodles to the ramen are like spaghetti noodles you get from an American grocer. The pork chasu and the tofu are tough to chew on. The chicken karaage bits were small pieces that when frying I think -dried it up more. The pork belly bun's pork belly was also really hard for some reason. For the pros, the flavor of everything tasted fine and the presentation was very cute and pleasing to look at which is why I still gave it another star. To be fair my order was takeout and I arrived at the 25 minute mark to pick up my food. The order was still warm. I do not think I will return here to eat. But service was lovely. read more

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Fantastic ramen spot!! Ambiance is very hip and cool. You can definitely feel all of the Japanese inspiration. They even had cool wooden booths to sit in. It felt very authentic! I really liked the options for small and large portions of the ramen. You are able to sample a variety of different flavors for a reasonable price. My personal favorites would have to be the Tan Tan Men and the Chicken Karaage Ramen. The Tan Tan Men had a spicier broth while the Chicken Karaage Ramen had a much richer flavor. Overall, I highly recommend this spot! read more