Very nice and bouncy noodles made to order. The soup is light and refreshing, couple that with the delicious chashu and you got a very savory bowl of noodle soup. Vibe was chill, mostly a quick eats restaurant so it's great for a casual meal. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Kitakata ramen and fried chicken bowl - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai is a ramen shop that focuses on traditional Japanese-style bowls with a strong emphasis on carefully developed broths and chewy noodles. We walked into a casual, cozy space with a smaller dining area that can feel busy during peak hours, but the atmosphere stays simple and focused on the food rather than a polished dining experience. The setup works well for a place centered around a warm bowl of noodles, where the attention stays on what is in the bowl rather than what is on the walls. The ramen is the main reason to visit, especially the signature Kitakata-style noodles. The noodles have a thicker, springy texture that gives each bowl a satisfying bite, and the broths are where the restaurant stands out. We tried the Spicy Miso Ramen, which brought a deeper, richer flavor with a noticeable kick, and the Green Chili Shio Ramen, which offered a lighter but still flavorful option with a cleaner broth profile. The balance between the noodles, broth, and toppings made the bowls feel thoughtfully put together rather than just another standard ramen option. The toppings were generous and the eggs were cooked well, adding a creamy richness that tied the bowl together. Beyond ramen, the sides are worth adding to the meal. We ordered the pan-fried gyoza, which came out with a crisp exterior and a juicy filling, making it one of the stronger starters to share. The karaage also added variety if you want something beyond noodles, with a crispy coating that held up without being greasy. The menu has enough options for different preferences, including vegetarian ramen choices that do not feel like an afterthought. Because of its popularity, waits can happen, especially during dinner hours and weekends. Joining the waitlist ahead of time is a good idea if you are planning around a specific schedule. The restaurant moves with a steady pace once seated, and the service generally matches the casual style of the space. The staff handle the flow efficiently, and even when the dining room is full, the pace of the meal stays comfortable without feeling rushed. Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai is a strong ramen destination for anyone looking for flavorful broths, well-textured noodles, and comforting Japanese dishes. The spicy ramen options and pan-fried gyoza are highlights, making it a place worth visiting when you want a satisfying bowl rather than just a quick noodle stop. The quality of the broth and the texture of the noodles make it a step above the average ramen spot, delivering a meal that feels complete and well considered. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

We're a little spoiled for ramen in the northwest burbs. I'm a fan of Chicago Ramen and Santouka but I'm happy to add another spot into the rotation. I was surprised to learn this is a small chain only with a couple locations in Illinois and the rest in California, which just gives it more credibility to me. Just a heads up that this place is pretty small, so you might run into a wait. But, they do have Yelp waitlist, so be sure to take advantage if you're coming by. While the waits can get long, once you're actually seated service is great and prompt. You won't be waiting long for your food, and if you get a counter seat you can see it being prepared which is fun. So far I've had the spicy tan tan ramen and the miso ramen. You get a generous amount of noodles, the meat is super tender, and the broth is the perfect cure for cold weather or a rough hangover. They have a kids meal option too, but they also have small chicken or pork and rice bowls that are perfect for our toddler. We'll definitely come back, I'm very curious how their curry dish is. read more

What a delightful place! It looks small and unassuming from the outside in a strip mall, but when you enter, it's clean, welcoming, and comfortable. The staff is extremely friendly. And it's clearly popular. I met a friend at opening time and there was plenty of seating, but within 20 minutes or so, the place was filling up. I got the Tonkotsu Ramen with a seasoned egg topping. The broth was rich and delicious, the pork and noodles tender, the scallions crunchy, and the red ginger gave just the right kick. The egg was cooked perfectly, jammy and seasoned beautifully. Hot green tea topped off the experience on a very cold morning. So many other things on the menu I wanted to try, but that completely filled me up. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Tonkotsu ramen with seasoned egg - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Food is great here, worth the 30 to 45 minute wait. Love that they use the wait-list feature on Yelp! The waitresses are dressed so nicely and are very kind and polite. We are diabetic and notice when we eat the Miso broth our blood sugars stay in the normal range. So that is our preferred broth. I eat the Vegas Ramen with ToFu instead of the Chashu. My husband orders the Miso Ramen with Chashu. This is by far the best Ramen in 50 miles! If you have not dined here yet, what are you waiting for! read more

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Super clean, friendly staff, authentic food, and good vibes! I can't complain about anything. Always have gotten my order right and it comes out on time! read more

Tried this place for the first time and it surely won't be the last. Went on a busy night before Thanksgiving and was in the wait list for about 10 minutes.Juan who waited on us was very friendly and helpful in giving us some ideas of what to order. We started of with Fried chicken very light and crispy like a tempura batter mixture, then we both ordered large Ramens , my wife ordered the mixed boiled vegetable shio ramen and i ordered the Tonkotsu both were delicious and flavorful. Service was excellent by Juan and Liza and the place is kinda small yet the people might out quickly as soon as they slurp up their ramen. Will be back and try the other types of ramen they offer in this busy section of the big strip mall being shared by other restaurants and Jewel foods. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

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We have been here many times, but always eager to dig in once the foods arrive, so I don't have any pictures, yet. One of the reason we like is place is that they offer Gluten Free ramen noodle. This is a rare place where both me and my husband could enjoy ramen together. They offer a variety of broth base, from the classic like salt base or miso base to something bold and spicy. Then, you have the option to add additional toppings. Besides ramen, they also have Japanese curry and friend chicken. Service is always good. The space is a little small so not necessary good for a large group. They have a long table, but I would suggest to call ahead. read more

Hands down my favorite meal combo. The chashu ramen is exceptionally rich and flavorful, and adding the marinated egg and steamed vegetables creates the perfect balance of savory richness and fresh crunch. Pairing it with a small, ice-cold Sapporo is a must--the crisp beer cuts through the decadent broth beautifully. Consistency is always spot-on read more

Loved this place! I'm vegan, but that was no problem here. They have a vegetarian menu that shows what the swaps are for applicable dishes, and most of the ramens can actually be done vegan. I had the creamy vegan ramen and shishito peppers, and I will definitely be back. Ordering was easy, our waiter was knowledgeable about the veg options and friendly. It felt more calm and spacious than most ramen shops, and the wait wasn't too bad. I will definitely be back! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Creamy Vegan Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

Came by for a second visit and try out some more menu items! We got the cucumber salad, alongside the usual spicy garlic edamame. The cucumbers weren't so bad, but I think the edamame is still the star of the appetizers. I tried out the new tonkotsu and the ginger gave the broth a nice kick. The fried chicken from the fried chicken bowl was really moist. The breading was clean and the accompanying dipping sauce was really delicious too. Still a great place to have ramen! This might be one of the best places in the Chicagoland area for its quality and price. Oh, and unless you're a particularly big eater, a regular sized bowl is all you need! read more

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Hands down one of my favorite ramen places of all time. The noodles are so soft and the service is fast. Definitely better for smaller groups but they can entertain larger groups. read more

Was in town and my brother in law took me here to have ramen. We started out with Gyoza and Karage. Man the gyoza was fried perfect with a nice crisp on the bottom and soft/chewy on the top. The karage was plump and had a nice thin batter on it. So big and juicy. Finally the ramen came. I ordered tonkatsu. Man the broth and the char siu was next level. The broth was flavorful but not heavy like some tonkotsu. The char siu was thick and juicy. The only part of my whole meal that i would not say is a 10 out of 10 is the noodle. They use a thick wavy noodle when i like more of a hakkata style noodle with tonkotsu. The noodles soaked up the broth and if you don't eat it quick the noodles will get bloated. Beside that everything was a 10/10. Definitely give them a try if you are near here. Wont be disappointed! read more

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Absolutely love this place. It's mine and my boyfriend's favorite spot and we come here all the time. The extra spicy miso ramen is our go-to and it is SO good every single time, bold, flavorful, and actually spicy. The pork bowl never misses, portions are generous, and everything is just comforting in the best way. We're always excited to come back. read more

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Best ramen I've ever had. Very clean, but small location. If I hadn't Googled it, I wouldn't know it was there. Highly recommend.

Stopped by on a freezing day, and this place hit the spot! We ordered the Large Spicy Miso Ramen (requested vegan) and the Vegan Miso Ramen. Both were packed with flavor, perfectly balanced, and so comforting. The Spicy Miso had just the right kick to warm us up, and the Vegan Miso was rich and satisfying without being heavy. Definitely a place I'll come back to, especially when it's cold out! read more

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Always amazing food and service. Spicy Miso with extra chashu is the move. Pan fried gyoza is the perfect appetizer before the ramen.

The miso broth was INCREDIBLE!! It truly reminded us of our travels in Japan. It was flavorful and rich and I like how perfectly cooked the tofu was. The portion was huge (we shared 1 bowl between two people for lunch). I definitely want to go back to try the curry. The only reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars is because they had very limited vegan/vegetarian options- only one ramen and possibly one curry. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Vegan Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

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Visited from Atlanta and wanted a ramen place as we're not prepared for the cold Perfect little spot for ramen! Very comforting! The food was absolutely amazing! We had the Deluxe Wanton Ramen which was very flavorful. We waited about 10 minutes for a table for two around 7:15pm but totally worth it! read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Deluxe Wonton Ramen (Limited Time ONLY) - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

The food is very authentic Japanese. I am 100% American-Japanese from California. Loved all the items on menu especially the chicken kaggage, just like homemade. Great service, wished it was a much bigger dining area. Cute accents throughout the restaurant. read more

We got the vegan miso ramen and the green chili shio ramen. Both were fantastic, some of the best ramen we've ever had!

Good authentic food. I love it the best ramen in town. I would recommend to friends and family

First, we start with the Ramen: The broth!! Ugh, so sweet and sultry. It tastes like having your friends go out with you for a cloth try on montage at a store. Sweet, fun, and a behind the scene spark. Scovile-wise, not spicy, yet spicy in the way friendships can be. On a scale of 0-5, 1.2 for spice. Toro Chashu sweet and savory like a thick piece of non-oily bacon. Seasoned Tofu (added to order) has a nice soy sauce sultry-ness to its earthy bean flavor. Boiled cabbage leaves a little to be desired, but was still good. 5 or 6/10. Spinach? Delicious. Makes up for the cabbage. Nice crunch to the bean sprouts. The mixed veggies are nice some of the time, on some bites. Definitely try the noodles separately early on. Noodle + spinach is delicious too. Cabbage and onion add a little extra crunch, minimizing the softness of the noodles, but it's not bad - you'll get bites of the noodles solo for sure. There's a balance. First taste of the noodles and wowwww sweet. It made me think of a sweet version of a lemon. I'm likely tripping due to my fondness for lemons hahaha. Little grooves on the noodles (from how they cut it) make it easier to grab noodles {for any who find difficulty grabbing noodles with chopsticks, these ones have ledges and friction} Full Ramen? This broth killllls me. I love this. 8.4 out of 10. Asahi is always great to add with Ramen. Light yet great for hearty/heart-filled meals. Makes you want to eat more. Takoyaki ~~ my love they are delicious everywhere I go. If you've never had takoyaki and enjoy octopus - this is your sign . They're so good. Added benefit, you don't feel the texture of suckers or tentacles, they're fried in a ball. I added chili flakes on half of my takoyaki for a switch up. Def recommend. 9.6 out of 10 in fondness. I love Kitakata Ramen. I've been eating here every so often over the past 9 years, and they are always soooo delicious. f you need a ramen and are close to the bubble of Woodfield, I recommend coming to Kitakata Ramen. 9.3/10. P.S. My waiter really recommends the Green Chili Ramen with an added egg. read more

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After spending all afternoon at the mall, we dropped in for a late dinner in the middle of the week. We luckily got parking right in the front, and there was actually plenty of parking. We didn't have a reservation or anything, so we ended up sitting at the bar area. We ordered the gyoza to start, and I got the regular size Kitakata ramen with corn. The gyoza was nice and crispy, and tasted very good. I would order this again. The Kitikata ramen bowl was pretty big when it came out, and they brought an entire cup of corn which I added to the bowl. The broth was good, and the corn provided a nice sweetness to balance out the flavors. The chashu was also good. I liked the noodles also. I ended up only eating a bit more than half of the bowl because it was so much food. Overall, a good experience and if I'm in the area and craving ramen I'd stop here again. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

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Exceptional ramen being served at Kitakata ramen. This ramen hales from the city of Kitakata and the noodles are thicker and flat compared to the typical ramen noodles that you might be use to. I ordered their shoyu ramen, and the broth was light which I appreciated and not fatty and glob like, I also added eggs to it which was a good addition to it. Chasiu was included and it was tender and flavor, melt in your mouth. Really loved their gyoza as well, it was super flavorful and juicy, fresh to order. Highly recommend for all you ramen lovers out there! read more

Soup season is here and kitakata is a very necessary ramen spot to add to your list! This is one of the rare spots that offers broths other than pork. You also have the option to have a regular sized ramen or large. They do have an up charge for items added to your ramen. It can get pricey so keep an eye on what you add. Ex: egg is not included in any of their ramens. =( My fiancé and I were here for a late lunch and service was quick. We were seated right away and had waters on our table within minutes. To start we had the juicy fried chicken and a side of rice. They were pretty stingy on the sauce so make sure to ask for more, it is very good. I had the vegan miso ramen and it was delicious. Noodles are fresh and broth was tasty. My fiancé got the kitakata ramen and he wasn't impressed the way I was but he enjoyed it. This establishment can sit about 40-50 people. There are seats around the kitchen, similar to a bar setting and there are tables for a more intimate experience. Tip - they do have a live waitlist on Yelp so keep an eye on that to avoid a long wait time. read more

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We had tonkatsu char siu ramen & edamame. The noodles were soft & fresh. The broth was hot, flavorful & delicious. The pork was seasoned perfectly. Staff was kind & helpful. I would definitely recommend eating here if you are a fan of authentic tasting ramen. read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Delicious ramen A++ would recommend. - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

This was my first visit. It was a take out order for the uncooked vegan Miso. I walked in, placed my order. In less than 5 minutes, I was leaving with my order. Fast and friendly service. The vegan Miso was fantastic! I would definitely recommend Kitakata Ramen and will be back to try something else the next time. read more

Found this wonderful ramen restaurant on Yelp during our family road trip to Chicago. I have to say that all the dishes were delicious and wonderful. I highly recommend this place if you want to have some good ol' ramen. Now I wish I lived in this area. LOL read more

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From service to the food everything about this place is always a 10/10. Food was hot and delicious, and it's always like that every time I come, truly greatful for such delicious food. Thank you kitakata once again read more

Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai - Hoffman Estates - Spicy miso ramen & aburi chachu bowl - Ramen Near Me - Hoffman Estates, Illinois

I love this ramen chain very much so I visit and slurp whenever I have chance. I usually drink beer or sake along gyoza or fried chicken first then finish up with their house made noodle ramens. Each time I tell my server, "I want ramen after I finish beer and appetizers". I did same yesterday, made sure don't bring ramen too early. All because already few times ramen came with all other food. Yesterday, gyoza first and beer is forgotten until I tell them. Then ramen came at my first bite of gyoza. They have great food and shops but need some more education for servers. I give 3 stars today because at least their foods are excellent. Server service no star. read more

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Love Kitakata Been going there for years. If you have a big party, Do get on the waitlist read more

As much as Mitsuwa has a special place in my heart, this has become my go to place for ramen. I usually get the Kitakata ramen- the broth is light but flavorful and there are enough noodles and chashu slices to satiate my ramen cravings without being overpowering. The other menu items are great too, like the miso ramen and chicken kaarage. They also give kids little dishes and silverware to eat with! I consider myself a regular here- you will not be disappointed! read more

Mmmmm yummy ramen yummmmmmdss delicious mmmmmmmm Pork so yum Ramen so yum Come eat here read more

Came in around 4pm on. a sunday! It was mostly filled so it would have been a wait for a party larger than 2 but it was only 2 of us so we got seated right away. Waitress was quick to get our order as well. Takoyaki - a little bit more expensive than i'm used to for takoyaki, but one of the better ones for sure. Cooked perfectly and had enough filling! 8.1/10 Ramen - A very simple ramen. Clean tasting soup. Lots of flavor for sure. Chashu could have been a little better. Noodles very good texture! I very much enjoy the soup of this place. Always take home the left over and make my own noodles for it! 8.7/10 Ban bowl - the pork belly was surprisingly VERY soft! I loved it. The small was enough to get a taste while being able to enjoy my ramen. The sauce was also not too overpowering and complimented the pork belly as well. 8.9/10 read more

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Review Update! I became a regular here with my coworkers going quite often for lunch. I'm happy to say that five years into their existence, Kitakata is still the go to spot for ramen in Schaumburg! This was exemplified when I was back in town this week, had lunch with coworkers, but also randomly saw 3 other friends dining in. It's the Schaumburg hot spot! The food at Kitakata is still amazing. My go to is usually their dipping ramen with it's clear, smooth broth. But don't sleep on the Fried Chicken Bowls. I can't eat very much in one sitting (I'm the queen of leftovers!) and when I don't want to take food to go, I go for the small Juicy Fried Chicken bowl. Just $6, it's perfect for me with plump pieces of protein covered in their light but perfectly crisp breading. Obsessed! And the thing that really puts them over the top? Their amazing staff! Some people have been there for ages! I miss some of the older ladies who used to be there, but still! Those who are still there are amazing. So friendly, so helpful, so willing to assist customers. Kitakata is STILL simply the best~!!!! read more

Best clear ramen around. Love the food. Highly recommend trying the Aburi Chashu. We order out often and it makes it to the office still tasting amazing. We have eaten there many times. Love the people, service, very clean and enjoyable. Comfortable seating and peaceful. They have group seating or single seating. read more

We have been back quite a bit since last review. Food is pretty consistent now. I love their noodle. It is so fun and satisfying to eat them. Broth is good, meat is good, egg is good, all good. I think takoyaki is too smothered with sauce that make it soggy, but next time im just gonna tell them to put the sauce and toppings on the side. Everything pretty decent. read more

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This ramen spot is a total gem. The ramen is so good, with very good quality broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and rich, comforting flavors in every bite. Ingredients taste fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The servers are genuinely nice, attentive, and make you feel welcome without hovering. The place is clean, cozy, and well maintained, which makes the whole experience even better. It is an easy spot to relax, enjoy great food, and leave already planning your next visit. Highly recommended for anyone craving satisfying comfort read more

Love the food, and always a good recommendation. But I miss the traditional Japanese music that used to be played in the background. Now they just have regular jazz music playing. Which sucks, cuz it was a nice touch.. you know? Since it's a Japanese restaurant. Idk it seems a bit gentrified. The service is nice. The food comes quick and hot which it great. read more