Brothless Ramen? Sure, why the heck not! This is as far out of my comfort zone as I go, by the way. Now, Kajiken may be a chain, but that didn't stop the experience from being mind-blowing. A five-star experience by definition. I'd ordered Homura, and stepped away to wash my hands. Just as I was sitting down, the bowl of hot fresh goodness was placed in front of me. Even when the place was busy, the service remains lighting-quick! friendly and attentive too! As for the bowl, it was absolutely fantastic! Upon mixing, everything went together perfectly. The flavors were tremendously savory and rich, with accents from the egg, seasonings, veggies, and a healthy amount of meat. The noodles were cooked perfectly too! The bowl was perfect as is, and needed nothing. I was worried the bowl would be dry, but this couldn't be farther from the truth, especially with the ladle of liquid on the bottom, everything was perfect! Now, there are various seasonings and flavor enhancers on the table, but they weren't needed, in my opinion. If you do choose to add some, be careful, as some pour fast and heavy! After happily slurping this thing down in record time, I also ordered a single helping of Chashu, as I generally love it and wanted to try. It too was brought to me in no time, and was thin, well balanced, and melted in my mouth. Where it comes to value, the bowl was $13.50, and the slice of chashu was $1.50, IIRC. Great, especially in light of what everything costs nowadays. Final verdict: Kajiken came, and it DELIVERED. Everything from start to finish was top notch, and for a very fair value of $13.50 for a fresh, tasty, and filling bowl of goodness. read more

Kajiken - Homura - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered the ramen and roast beef soba noodles for takeout on a friday night, so not able to comment on the service. But the ambiance of the restaurant was really nice and clean, decorated with lanterns and a wood themed interior The ramen was pretty lackluster - the noodles were very tough and under done and the broth was less savory than I would've liked for a tonkotsu. The soba noodles were flavorful but also could've been cooked better. For a $20+ dish I felt the portions were disappointing, especially since I think I was missing some toppings Overall, id be down to eat here again and would probably have a better experience the second time around if dining in instead read more

Kajiken - Roast beef soba noodles - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went to Kajiken and I was starving. The inside had a super chill and relaxing vibe, so I didn't feel rushed at all inside. Service was really friendly and our food came out quick. We started with the takoyaki, which was super good - cooked and flavored really well, which was a good start. I also got The Original abura soba, which didn't disappoint. It was flavored really well, tasted delicious, and the noodles were cooked perfectly. Portions looked a little small at first, but they ended up being just right. Good food, good service, super chill japanese vibe. Would definitely recommend for some great noodles. read more

Kajiken - Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Only came here because the ramen place next store had a long line but this was instant sit down for 3 people, this was a Saturday around 4pm. Ordered a tonkotsu ramen, was kind of disappointed at the quality. The broth was lukewarm and didn't taste fresh, the broth had no flavor whatsoever, noodles were unimpressive. Kept having to ask for water refills and no one checked up on you. Which is disappointing because usually my experience at other locations has been great. read more

Kajiken - Tonkotsu - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was delicious! I got the spicy tonkotsu ramen, the pork was quality cut and the broth had a really nice flavor to it. The oysters were nice too, but the breading was a little too light and airy for me. I think it was panko crumbs breading. I misunderstood the menu and ordered soba noodles and was allowed to reorder no added charge. The style of the restaurant was cute but it was definitely small. read more

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Everything went well. Food is good nice atmosphere. Staff is nice. Ambiance is calming. What more can I say. Oh food is worth your time and money. read more

Came back recently and the food was so blah. The chashu in the ramen was paper thin and the broth had no flavor. I think the quality has definitely gone down. Would not go back. read more

Kajiken - Spicy Tonkotsu - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here with some friends on a Saturday lunch time. It wasn't packed but after we sat down, it started to get packed inside. We all decided to get dry noodles instead of ramen. The service was good and quick. The food was decent. The price for the portion was good. read more

Kajiken - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Located in a busy shopping center in Chinatown. Seating is pretty limited, so keep that in mind if you're coming with a bigger group. I ordered the noodle dish. The noodles are thicker than normal broth ramen, bouncy, and flavorful, though I'd say the seasoning leans a little on the salty side. It comes with two pieces of char siu and some bamboo shoots, simple but satisfying. I do want to note something important regarding allergies. I have an egg allergy, so I always double-check before ordering. Initially, I was told the noodles contained eggs, so I decided to switch to the vegan option. However, the server then mentioned that the vegan option also contained eggs, which honestly threw me off. When I questioned it, I was told it's labeled vegan but still has eggs, which was pretty shocking. I ended up ordering a rice bowl instead. Later on, the server came back and clarified that the noodles actually do not contain eggs. In the end, everything turned out fine, but I strongly recommend clearer communication from staff to avoid confusion, especially when it comes to dietary restrictions. Selling something as vegan when it isn't (or giving mixed information) could be a serious issue. read more

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Very cute decor with wooden frames around tables and Japanese lanterns. Fast and friendly service. I got the original which was thicker noodles in a savory sauce. A little on the heavy side, but yummy nonetheless. My fiancé got the spicy ramen. The broth on his was really yummy and not too hot. read more

We were able to get a table quickly and the service was prompt. The options are endless but we all chose to go with a menu item, rather than crafting our own. The Tori was great, the Eby was fresh - the other two had more broth and were very flavorful! The spicy edamame was good, too. read more

Kajiken - Tori - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a ramen shop located in Chinatown. It is known for its dry ramen and some of its other locations (but not this one) have been Michelin recognized. I didn't have time to dine in so I got an order of "the original" to go and ate it right after I picked it up. All of the toppings were packed in a top tray with the ramen in the bowl. The portion is pretty small. Perhaps it is because I got it to go but it kind of seems like regular ramen to me. The chasu was good and it was still flavorful for not having broth. As I'm writing this review, I noticed the menu said to mix everything and to add vinegar and chili oil. I didn't do that so perhaps that would have made a difference. Could be an interesting spot for dry ramen. Not sure id go out of the way to come here but I'd like to try dining in next time. read more

Kajiken - The original - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I really like this place. This is the second Nippon soba place I've been too. And this one the taste is good, the condiments and various included assortment is quite a good pairing, and the prices don't seem to gouge out your money! The waifu loves the sukiyaki soba, the ramen also tasted good, and the original is good too. I made the mistake of adding additional beef slices for extra cash hoping that I'd get good wagyu. It didn't taste that good and it also isn't worth the extra $$. Maybe the rare beef soba would come with sauce. But all the other food taste good. The place is vibing. It's very bright, awesome Japanese booths, and kind of upscale. How many paper lanterns do you spot? Staff was nice and friendly. Would definitely go back. Solid A. read more

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Cute place in Chicago Chinatown with really pretty Japanese-inspired decor. We were seated immediately on a Sunday lunch, though the seats filled up quickly afterwards. I got the Original, which had a very nice umami and bonito flavor to it. Definitely don't make the mistake of microwaving this if you have leftovers... it's definitely much better served mostly chilled! Our server was very efficient and friendly, and we were able to split checks even with a table of 8! Update: got the homura, a bit spicy but super flavorful!! read more

Kajiken - The original - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I want to preface this by saying I'm not the biggest ramen fan but I've never had dry ramen before so I wanted to give this a chance. The noodles had a good chew to them and I liked the flavor, but i wish there was a bit sour flavor to cut through the rich flavors and starch from the noodles. I think next time I'd get a bowl with bigger toppings because the minced pork disappeared and I couldn't really taste it. Takoyaki was ok- I'd prefer mine with more mayo and sauce but it came out piping hot. Service was great, prices are reasonable and the interior is gorgeous. If you like ramen, I think you'd love it here. read more

Kajiken - Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I looooove Kajiken in California, so when I saw it in Chicago it was a no brainer to visit! We were looking for a quick meal and it ended up being the most convenient. Most of what they offered here were the same. I ordered the homura bowl and it met my expectations! We ordered it for takeout, and it was pretty well-packaged with care. The sauce was savory, and the noodles had the perfect bounce to it. The abura soba is always 1000% better when you add vinegar into it. I also tried "the original" with chashu, and the chashu meat was also sooo good! read more

I ordered the traditional one and the curry one. Both orders seemed a bit salty, likely due to the sauce. Presentation of the dishes looked good. Service was good as well. I'm not sure I would be excited to return. read more

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Good ramen, good broth. Chicken karaage uses dark meat which was fried very well. You have seasonings & sauces to choose from such as garlic seasoning, sesame oil, sesame seeds and white pepper too. Would recommend! read more

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I've had Kajiken before at different locations and the quality at this branch was drastically lower. As a big abura soba fan, I was beyond excited for this place but was let down when I saw the food here. For starters, the noodles along with all of the toppings were lukewarm if not cold. There weren't nearly enough sauce for the bowl itself and the portion size was lacking compared to other Kajiken locations. Additionally, I observed our server wipe his nose area as he sniffled using his gloved hand, the same gloved hand he used to grab the inside rim of our dry ramen bowls with. Seeing those same fingers touch the inside of my food bowl was definitely off putting to say the least. Not sure if this was a one off experience seeing as all the reviews tend to be more positive, but I will not be returning to this Kajiken location because of the aforementioned reasons. read more

Kajiken - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A staple Chicago stop for me where I've dined a few times. Even took some engagement pics in here and introduced my photographers to dry ramen for the first time. The noodles are so bouncy, and the toppings are fresh and plentiful. Soft egg is perfect every time and the yolk makes such a difference in creaminess! I love sour taste so having the table vinegar is a huge plus for me. read more

Kajiken is an absolute favorite between my friends and I. We go to Chinatown every so often just for Kajiken. Their soupless ramen is so much better than ramen in my opinion. They have a sauce filled with lots of flavor that makes it better tasting than your typical ramen. I always get their chicken style soupless ramen. The chicken is always so tender and NEVER overcooked!! The presentation of the food is wonderful. Servers are very attentive and helpful. The food also comes out very quick. The interior of the restaurant gives a cute Japan / Japandi vibe. It is a bit small in terms of seating, but there's always space when I go! Wait times might be a little longer because of this though!! read more

Kajiken - Nori, Sukiyaki, and Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I tried the Keema Curry Abura Soba at Kajiken in Chicago's new Chinatown. And I genuinely don't think I've ever eaten noodles with this level of chew and bounce. Absolutely al dente, in the best, most slurp-worthy way. The dish features keema curry minced pork, a poached egg, onions, and scallions layered over thick, firm noodles and a savory oil-based sauce. You mix it all together and then dive in--and wow. The flavor is deep, meaty, a little spicy, and totally addicting. The egg blends everything into a creamy coating, and the texture of the noodles makes it a joy to eat. You'll be slurping the whole way through. Kajiken specializes in Abura Soba, a type of Japanese dry noodle that's saucy but brothless, and they do it incredibly well. The vibe inside is clean and modern, service is quick, and the staff are friendly. I noticed a wide selection of toppings too, from kimchi to roasted beef, if you want to build your own bowl. Pro tip: Mix thoroughly before you start eating, and don't be shy about slurping--it's part of the experience. If you're looking for something different from ramen or pho, this is it. I'll definitely be back to try the Sukiyaki or Roasted Beef next. read more

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I ordered their Sukiyaki noodle, and the sauce is spicy, which is inauthentic. Japanese sukiyaki sauce is sweet and salty, not spicy.

This was really good! First off the prices in the store are so much cheaper than online. Like $16 vs $12 for the keema curry. I went in and got takeaway with no issues. The order packages the noodles, meat/egg, and sauce separately so it travelled really well. And it tasted really good too. I really enjoyed the flavors when all mixed together. I would go light on the sauce at first and add as much as you need a little at a time. I would definitely recommend this if you're in Chinatown! read more

Come here for abura soba. The tonkotsu ramen was bland and forgettable. But we both loved the keema curry, with thick, chewy noodles and flavorful, juicy pork. The sunomono had plenty of octopus and was a refreshing way to begin. Large portions. Chain ambiance. read more

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No service!!!! Too slow. Tamago (half boiled egg) took forever to come out. Matter of fact, it was on the counter but the server was on phone or tablet just standing next to it. Dirty plates on the table and nobody came pick it up. Server just stands there. read more

Got the Homura. SO GOOD. A little spicy but it was the perfect amount. Noodles were amazing, good portion, good price. Might be some of the best noodles I've ever had. Would recommend read more

Kajiken - Homura - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went for Lunch Food - 4/5. Karaage had a decent crunch and soft meat. I enjoyed using both sauces as the soy added a salty, savory flavor while the mustard gave it a tangy creaminess. The abura soba noodles were just OK. They lacked the rich, springy bite that I had experienced from other Kajiken locations and the firmness was a bit less than ideal. The sukiyaki had soft meat with the iconic sweet & savory flavors of sukiyaki. While the flavor itself was good, it was one note, and your palate got bored of it rather quickly. Service - 4/5. Quick and courteous service. Value - 4/5. They were reasonably priced with standard portion sizes. Appetizers were in the single digits price range and abura soba bowls were $13.50. Sadly, the quality did not meet my expectations from my previously experience at other Kajiken locations. I liked that they offered different abura soba bowls I haven't seen before, but the flavor left some to be desired. Parking - Street (Metered) read more

Kajiken - Karaage - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came into Kajiken on a really cold day. Never heard of this restaurant or read any reviews so my friend and I were in for a surprise! They're specifically known for their dry ramen (no soup to dip, that's tsukemen ramen which is different). They did have a handful of soupy ramens too. Since it was cold, I opted for a soup ramen- tonkotsu ramen. At first, I felt the soup was a bit bland but that might be part of the point because there was a carousel of toppings and sauces. I added the garlic and chili oil and it did give the broth more flavor. I also really liked that the soup ramen had thin noodles which is my favorite. I would come back! The gyoza was basic but good too! read more

I love Kajiken! I enjoy dry noodles from time to time and the soupless ramens here are the best!!! I always get the original which is my favorite. The egg is an add on btw. Their takoyaki is also really good and their karaage isn't bad either! Service is average and minimal - you're mostly coming here for the noodles so don't expect amazing service. If you park in the Chinatown lot, they validate parking! read more

Kajiken - The Original - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is my lunch date place with my husband when we know we only have a 30-minute window time in between meetings. Their service is pretty fast. Just make sure you don't order a lot and expect them to give you 30-minute service. The place is small, but they are clean and welcoming. The servers are friendly. We personally love the food. It's not like noodle soup. It's soupless noodle. I always get the vegetarian one while my husband get their original ramen with extra tamago. It may not look tasty, but it packed a lot of taste! We also always get their age tofu. What more can I say? We are their repeat customers. read more

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Clean spot, good fast service, Abura Soba style on point. Good options fair price would go back to try different styles read more

Kajiken - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Soup-less ramen. I've never had something like this and was so curious to try. Immediately upon entering the establishment, I was greeted by the friendly staff and impressed by the interior; it looks very vibrant with a chill vibe. Here's what we ordered: Curry ramen: The better ramen out of the two. To be honest, I'm not used to eating soupless ramen, so it took some time to adjust. The soup-less aspect definitely made this dish more flavorful. Original ramen: Good! Not as salty, and the flavors balance each other well Beef don: The beef was so tender, a great dish to share with an amazing aroma Overall, I enjoyed trying this. The curry flavor is still my favorite; personally, I thought it was a bit too salty, but my friend liked this place a lot :) read more

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Overall Thoughts: Kajiken is of the newer spots for Japanese soupless noodles in the New Chinatown square. The portions are quite small and I was still a bit hungry after, but the prices are reasonable for the size. Though the dish I ordered was lacking in flavor, I'd like to come back to try the other things on the menu, which all looked good. I loved the wooden Japanese-style interior design. The inside was beautiful, spacious, had a nice ambience, and the staff were friendly and attentive. Food I tried: - Homura Soba Noodles (3.9/5): This dish unfortunately lacked a lot of flavor and the textures were a bit monotonous and unsatisfying. Otherwise, I liked the variety of toppings and the egg was runny and delicious. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.3/5 Food: 3.9/5 Ambience: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Overall Value: 4.3/5 read more

Kajiken - interior - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered the original and it was delicious. Personally, I still prefer traditional ramen, as it felt like this had all the components of a great ramen without the broth. The chashu was really nicely seared and flavorful. The noodles were wonderful. They had such a nice chew to them and were really flavorful. I liked the marinade/sauce as well. Only problem is the portions are too small. I feel like I could eat 2 orders. But each order is $13 so why wouldn't I just go order a bigger ramen somewhere else... The ambiance is very nice. I like the lantern decorations. Service was super fast as well. read more

Kajiken - Original - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

abura soba (the og) yummy, karage decent. very busy but attentive service. dining area was cute.

It's good food and good service! Nice ambiance as well. It's cool beans. And I don't just say that about any place, either, contrary to popular belief. Edamame had some garlic wasabi powder on them and that was yummy in my tummy. Much better than salty edamame, which seems so plain now in comparison. Vegan aburasoba (?) (i.e., noodle bowl) was also good: the edamame tofu paste tied the whole bowl together with a good consistency and flavor... kinda like a vegan mayo, but more tasty and interesting. (I didn't get a good photo of this noodley creation, sorry.) Service was great: we got there late, but they were kind to us. Decor exceeded our expectations and it looks consistent and well thought out. Clean as well. I'd go back, oh yes, I would. Try and stop me! read more

Kajiken - Edamame Edamame Edamame - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Originally wanted to go to the ramen place down the way but they were packed so we went down to Kajiken and man o man. As soon as we walked in we were seated. The place was well lit, very good aromas in the air and so clean. We were given water as we sat along with menus. We the waiter notice that we placed our menus down he immediately came to serve us. I ordered the Torl with the extra nori and soft boiled egg(they only give you a half). This was some of the most flavorful ramen I've ever had. The noodles nice and this held the sauce well. The chicken nice and garlicky. The karaage chicken was pretty good, but I wish I was fried a bit more for a better cook. I also had an apple ice tea that was the perfect thirst quencher. All in all this meal was like a 4.6 out of 5. Definitely would've been a 5 if the chicken was done a little more. read more

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Not just another noodle place as there are many here, what makes this place better is simply "taste". We ordered 2 soba's ($13.50) which was the "Homura" which has spicy minced pork with a poached egg. This bowl is bit saucy with a kick. The second bowl was the "Original", comes with two thin slices of chashu. Not as saucy but just right. Both were super tasty. Rice bowls are called the "Don" which is a small bowl of rice with flavored toppings ($8.50). My son enjoyed the chashu don and highly recommend the bowl. Overall the entire meal and service was perfect. read more

Horribly bland ramen. Walked in already sensed something wrong but whatever. Ended up giving them the benefit of the doubt (big mistake). When we got our tonkatsu it looked oddly bubbly. Which I should've knew since I heard microwave in the background. They came out somehow tasteless and odd smelling. The egg looked like it sat out too long. Might seem all exaggerated but it was genuinely bad experience read more