Had been wanting to try this place for ramen. Decided to do a to go order. Easy to order from their website and the food was ready on time. The interior was fantastic and the restaurant was packed when we picked up our food. The food was delicious and we will be back. read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Easily the best tantanmen I've had in Chicago. The broth was really flavorful and had a nice level of spice. Not SUPER spicy either. The menma was really delicious as well. The pork in the Spicy Miso and Goku Tonkotsu were REALLY delicious too. Absolutely thrilled to find a place that serves Orion, my favorite Japanese beer. The decor is super sleek and clean and the atmosphere is an excellent relaxed vibe. The only complaint I have would be the short hours but it makes it feel all the more special when you can slot it into your schedule. read more

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Happy to have a delicious ramen spot in Lincoln Square! My husband and I stopped by on a Friday night and ordered the chicken ramen and the chicken wings and shared both. Both were fantastic! I loved the garlic soy on the chicken wings. The service was also very friendly and we also got hooked on a new TV show because our server recommended it to us--a testament to how friendly everyone is. The vibes feel true to the many times I've been to Japan and I love the modern, sleek look and feel. Prices are on the higher side--$$ and there are limited tables, so it might be worth grabbing a reservation on a weekend! We enjoyed the experience for our date night! read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Nagoya Pirikara Wings Plate - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came in and got one of the last seats at the bar, it was pretty packed for a Wednesday night. The staff was attentive, but not ever rushing me. The seating is primarily for 2 people and though there is a single 4 top. The food was very good - I got the spicy Ramen. The flavors were fantastic and not overwhelmed by spice. The dumplings were good, but I'll skip straight to the ramen next time. read more

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Love that an authentic Ramen place is near Chicago's Lincoln Square! - Brussel sprouts were shockingly delicious with crispy slices of garlic on top & deliciously fried morsels of Brussels. - Goku Tonkotsu ramen is a classic - house made bbq pork char siu, nice jammy egg, and thin noodles - my friend loved the spicy tan tan ramen While the space only seats about 30 people between booths & the bar, the service is very attentive & you still feel like you have your private space. read more

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As a lover of Ramen Wasabi, I knew I had to check this place out. The inside is a little smaller than Wasabi but my bf and I had no issues finding a spot for dinner on the weekend at the bar. We only had to wait a few minutes to be seated. We were pleasantly surprised. For food, they have a vegan ramen which I made vegetarian since I love having egg noodles and an egg (costs extra) in it as well. The broth is amazing. I highly recommend their vegan ramen. Finding a vegan/vegetarian ramen with a flavorful broth can be so difficult to find, but they have mastered it. I will definitely go back! My bf also loves their (non-vegetarian) spicy ramen and ranks Akahoshi and Menya Goku as his favorite ramen spots in the city! read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Vegan ramen (turned vegetarian with egg noodles and an egg) - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really great ramen. Cute date spot. They don't do reservations. You have to write your name on a list. We had to wait about 20 min or so when we got there at 530 on a Saturday. There isn't really anywhere to wait besides in your car or outside. They were out of the goyza but the fried chicken we got instead was amazing. I don't think I'd order the edamame again. It was kinda under-seasoned. The ramen was delicious. My main benchmark/comparison is ramen in LA. The broth and pork had great flavor. It definitely. The space is small so it's better for smaller groups but they do have some tables in the front that could accommodate up to 4 it looked like. read more

Menya goku is a place you'd find only if you were looking for it or passing by randomly and peering in. There's no store signage or advertisement. It's a small space with limited seating for groups. It's really perfect to go with a date or groups up to 4 people. I was surprised it was on the empty side when we got there around 7pm on sat. If by chance there is a wait, there is a waitlist at the front. All the ramen options are delicious. You can't go wrong with any of them. I find that the goku tan tan men is the spiciest. The other spicy ramen on the menu are more manageable. We also had the snow maiden sake which was on the sweeter side. It's a quiet, intimate ramen place. Highly recommend for the ramen lover. Make sure to check the double check the hours before heading over. I've found that the hours to be flexible and been burned a few times during the weekday. read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cute location. Very busy when we came but they do have a wait list where they call you which is nice. The ramen was good, especially the broth. I didn't like the takoyaki. For added context, I used to live in Japan, takoyaki is my fave food, and I liked it enough to get it tattooed on me. That said, I'm in America and I give people a pass. It's the takoyaki I like least that I've ever tried. The batter tasted like it was completely unseasoned. There wasn't much flavor in it. They put bulldog sauce on it instead of takoyaki sauce as well... The last thing was we didn't get our drinks until after our food came and we had to ask them to get it. Also the menu said the ginger beer was local...it was fever tree... read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Tonkotsu Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a special spot! I ordered Menya for takeout, but upon picking up my order I knew that was a mistake. The space so beautiful! The ambiance is welcoming, and the tiny two-person booths make for the perfect date night. My food was ready to go when I arrived and everything survived the transport back home. The carry out packaging was perfect with the noodles & toppings in one bowl and the broth in another. All I had to do was add the broth and it was ready to go (and still hot!). I went with the goku tonkotsu ramen, which is made of pork broth, charisu pork belly, egg, menma, black mushroom, green onion, and sesame. I also added bean sprouts for an additional $1.50. The flavor profile of this ramen was so delicious. The pork was the best I've had in ramen, so tender and flavorful! The only addition I didn't care for was the black mushrooms which are more of a cold, gelatinous mushroom. I also ordered the pan fried gyoza. These were delicious, and I love the sauce they were served with! I cannot wait to try more from the menu. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and authentic. I'm excited to come back and dine in person! read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - a bowl of ramen and a bowl of soup - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This might actually be my favorite ramen spot in the city. I've struggled to find really good ramen in Chicago since moving here, but this one is really up there now. My friend got there before me and grabbed a two-top table which was actually quite quaint and cozy. The seating is smaller and you get a great one-on-one with whoever you're dining with because the seating is also close to each other (at least for the two seater mini booths on the side). They do have a few tables that could seat larger parties toward the front, but overall this place is pretty small. Onto the food, we got edamame and a sake bottle to start, and each got our own ramen. My friend got some sort of spicy miso ramen, and I ordered the Goku Tan Tan Men Ramen which is their speciality and it was DELICIOUS and actually pretty spicy. I was in love with the broth and consistency of the noodles. We both liked our ramen and raved about it as we ate it. I'd definitely return , and hopefully soon. Definitely a fantastic date night spot given the ambiance, lighting, and if you can score a two seater booth, it'll feel more private. read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Goku Tan Tan Men Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really, really good. I had the pork buns and the goku tonkatsu ramen. Both were delicious. I was originally worried the pork bun might be too sweet which tends to happen with pork buns in the US, but these were just right. They were $9 for 2 of them which was a little pricy, but not terrible. The ramen was great. Perfect saltiness in my opinion and the chunks of pork were huge. Seriously one of the most annoying things about getting ramen is the sad, thin slices of pork you usually get. Not here. We got big, thick chunks of pork. You could actually taste the flavor of the pork. Mine was mostly fatty meat, and my husband's was mostly lean meat, so we swapped around a couple of pieces and it was perfect. Definitely want to try their other ramen. The restaurant itself was cute and small. We got a little table perfect for 2. We got there around 5:30 and it wasn't too busy. They seated us immediately and were reasonably attentive without being pushy and annoying. Other notes: there is a free parking lot pretty close by and a decent amount of parking in the surrounding streets. Also, T Square cafe next door is great for dessert and boba after your meal! Definitely recommend this place and plan to go back. read more

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My wife wanted to take her brother for dinner as he hasn't had his normal appetite. We all love ramen so we decided to try Menya Goku as it's not to far from where we live. It's always nice to try a different place (variety). Menya Goku is @ 2207 W Montrose just west of Lincoln Ave. Menya Goku is a tiny storefront wo/any signage to locate it so look for the 2207 W. Montrose address. Decent Ramen but nothing that really wowed me read more

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Menya Goku, is the 3rd outpost of local ramen entrepreneurs who opened the famed Ramen Wasabi in #Chicago . Very intimate ramen shop that has good service. Now the northside is lucky to have this restaurant, which specializes in Goku tan tan men, which is a delicious and incredibly spicy treat, both with delicious savory broth and springy noodles. Try the Takoyaki (octopus balls) as an appetizer though thought a little too much sauce. #japanese #ramen read more

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Incredibly impressed with the ramen especially considering we heard about it from TikTok! Walking past the restaurant you wouldn't know it's there but that's part of the beauty and charm. Opens promptly at 5 PM, there's a waitlist sign up as you enter, and on a Friday night this place got busy from the start. The pork belly bun was the best open faced bun I've had in my entire life. Incredibly succulent and melts in your mouth, highly worth it. Ramen was great for a rainy Chicago day, both exquisite. Bathrooms and restaurant were very clean. Great attentive service. Good pricing on food. Super excited to have a ramen spot in the area, highly recommend. read more

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To start, the interior and aesthetic of the restaurant is beautiful. Love the usage of wood throughout and the open kitchen concept / bar. The restaurant is pretty small so definitely not a place for large parties. We were seated at a two-person booth which made it feel cozy and intimate. The staff there are really attentive and the food was served by the order that you prefer which I appreciated. In terms of price point, it seems on par with most ramen places I've been to. Now, onto the food. We ordered the following: - Goku Tan Tan Men / 9 out of 10: For this dish, we added an ajitama egg. Suggest adding that if you're in the fence. Overall, I think this was a solid order. The broth was lightly spicy with the numbing spices. There was plenty of nikumiso pork, bok choy, and bamboo. The reason this is a 9 out of 10 is because of the broth being a tad on the saltier side. - Nagoya Pirikara Wings / 10 out of 10: The wings were so good! It was lightly crispy with a soy based sauce that I would dip into as I take a bite of the chicken. I would definitely get this again. - Mini Char Siu Bowl / 9 out of 10: Char siu bowl was a solid order as well. There was definitely plenty of pork and rice. We could've done without this dish but it was still delicious and we did not regret ordering it. read more

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Cold, small place but the food was delicious! Busy place and we had to call the attention of our staff to be waiter upon.. other than that would recommend! read more

Delicious ramen everytime and quick, friendly service. It's so delicious that sometimes there are longer waits to be seated around 7 pm, but it's so worth it. read more

Menya Goku is my partner's favorite spot for ramen so I had to check it out myself! They do walk-ins and we put our name on the list around 7 on a Wednesday night. There were 3 couples in front of us and were seated 10 minutes later - it was pretty quick! The space is very cozy and the service was good. We both got the Goku Tan Tan Men with an egg added and the Takoyaki. The Tan Tan Men was hearty and spicy - it's not my first pick of ramen but it was tasty! The Takoyaki is my favorite - they were well cooked and crispy. I'll definitely be back to try the other ramens! read more

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Slightly hard to find because there isn't a sign with 'Menya Goku' on it. Looked inside the windows and you see some wood tables with chopsticks on them, so figured this was it. And YES! It was. Came right at 5pm when they opened and was seated right away. I love Ramen Wasabi, so I was expecting some good food here too. Was not disappointed. The Brussels sprouts are SO good here and maybe even a little better than at Wasabi. Seems like the same recipe but was perfect with some toasted garlic slices. Great Tonkotsu ramen, just a little on the salty side. I tasted the Modern Shoyu which is a lighter chicken broth and was really good too. The place is pretty small with not much seating, but was comfortable. We had excellent friendly service. We'll be coming back again soon for sure! read more

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For takeout ramen, this place is very good. We wanted to go in person, but it was way too cold outside. The pork was beautifully seasoned and the gyoza was on point. Will hopefully be dining in soon! read more

I love ramen and this place is one of my top 5 in Chicago! I like everything about this place - from the friendly service to the small restaurant ambiance (cute wooden seating as well as bar seating). But I love the ramen then most! Perfectly cooked thin noodles, the most flavorful broth, and excellent pork. Love the appetizers as well - gyoza, chicken karaage, steak bites and you can't go wrong with edamame. Go here! You don't regret it. read more

This place is so good! I've lived in the neighborhood for a few years and never stumbled upon it. There's no sign and it's a small dining room, giving it speakeasy vibes despite having the full glass storefront across the street from the park. It was packed when we got there, but we didn't have to wait long for a seat (they had a waiting list where they would call if you wanted to wait elsewhere) We got a cozy intimate booth. The food was delicious, we ordered the pork buns which we ate too quickly to get a photo of. I ordered their most popular ramen, Goku Tonkotsu. It was the perfect dinner for a cold rainy night. read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Goku Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got Modern Shoyu - cage free chicken and dashi broth, sous vide pork and chicken, ajitama egg, green onion. Friends tried Goku Tan Tan Men and spicy Miso tonkotsu. My chicken and dashi broth was soothing and delicious. Pork was tender and chicken was moist. Egg was not soft boiled to lava perfection. Broth in tan tan men and spicy Miso tonkotsu were too salty. Service was good. I don't like that there isn't much space for more than 4 people at a table. Most of it is meant for only 2 people. A big part of the already small space is for a bar which I think is a waste of space. read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went here in December 2021 and that was an alright experience. Went here recently and was thoroughly disappointed. - the karaage wasn't crunchy at alll karaage is known for being juicy and succulent on the inside while being crispy on the outside. these were chicken nuggets. i asked my friend how he felt about them and he said he had pieces that were undercooked, as did i. i could see pink on the inside! plus, the outside was not crispy at all - goku tonkotsu ramen - i had only two pieces of the charsiu pork belly where one was soft and tender while the other was WAAAAY overcooked and stringy. additionally from the video, you can see that half of my egg yolk is missing!! i was incredibly unhappy with this place. - goku tan tan men - it was alright, the ramen wasn't anything special. i can respect the liberal use of the Szechuan peppercorn but i feel like i was missing the regular fixings which might be bc it's a tan tan men all in all, was very unhappy with this place and will not be coming back read more

Always love this place. Great service and amazing ramen. I love the Goku Spicy Miso Ramen -$16.00 pork broth, charsiu pork belly, ajitama egg, menma, bean sprouts, green onion (spicy). Awesome dish that keeps bringing me back. When I'm not in the mood for spicy, Goku Tonkotsu Ramen $15.00 pork broth, charsiu pork belly, ajitama egg*, menma, black mushroom, green onion, sesame is always a warm treat. Will cure whatever ails you! read more

Love this spot! It is small and gets very busy, but it is so dear! The ramen is the best you can find on the north side of the city. Just awesome. Classic, but every piece is perfectly crafted, from the ajitama egg to the best darn charsiu pork belly around. Service is excellent. Everyone who works there is kind and willing to help. They recently accommodated my young kid, who just wanted to share a ramen with me, and also provided my dad with plenty of hot water refills for his tea. They are busy but attentive! And, of course, the restaurant is just beautiful. The woodwork is simple but inviting and cozy. Just love this place! read more

TL;DR Amazing ramen, squid geso a bit overcooked. Not open for dine-in; pretty smooth pickup process. What to order: * Goku Tonkotsu * Modern Shoyu What to watch out for: * broth is extremely hot * nori comes wrapped in plastic * only 2 customers allowed in the restaurant at a time * check the toasttab online ordering menu to see what is actually available (some things listed on their site were not) ===== Came here a couple weeks ago and ordered the Goku Tonkotsu ($14) and the squid geso ($8). The space is pretty small and is currently open for delivery and take-out only. We ordered at the restaurant and had to wait ~20-30 minutes for the food to be ready. This was one of the more enjoyable bowls of ramen I have had in the Chicago area, though expectations were low since it was takeout. The broth was rich and fatty, the chashu perfect, menma etc. all very good. The only real complaint was that the noodles were a bit stuck together, but I have yet to encounter the magical bowl of takeout ramen without that problem. My friend ordered the Modern Shoyu ($14) and also raved about it. The squid geso was unfortunately overfried and a bit too chewy. The portion was pretty large and definitely shareable, and the flavors still quite good, though. 5 for the ramen(s), 3-3.5 for the squid. read more

This ramen was DELICIOUS--the pork belly just melts in your mouth and is so flavorful. We were really happy with what we got, including the pork belly buns, which also melt away in your mouth. The space is small, so there may be a waitlist, but it was worth the wait of about 20 minutes when we went. The interior is comfortable and lovely. The service was friendly and relatively quick. Strongly recommend. read more

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lovely little spot in our old neighbourhood of ravenswood/lincoln sq. in a cute corner of Well's park and the start of the main LS strip. we went on a whim on a friday night and were thinking there'd be a long wait (especially after having to wait in line for akahoshi ramen just this week across town) -- but thankfully it was a ~20 minute wait for the three of us. good service from our waiter, who was helpful with our order. had a selection of small plates: the chicken karaage (tasty!), and the pork belly bun (very soft and flavourfull pork belly). then i finished it off with the tantanmen which was delicious and nice and spicy. would come back to try a few other options. might push up to a five star for sure. read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Goku Tan Tan Men Ramen + fried garlic and egg - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was really excellent . The ambiance was warm and upbeat and the service was great. In general, the staff was pleasant and made sure you were well taken care of. Paul read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Goku Tan Tan Men Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My wife and I were looking for new ramen places to visit, and noticed that Menya Goku was listed as the number 2-3 top ramen restaurant in Chicago (depending on who you ask). This definitely warranted a visit from us! Starting off, the restaurant itself is a little on the small side; there were about 8-10 tables in the entire restaurant from what I saw, each seating about 2-4 people. There is a bar seating with what looked like 8-10 seats. This did not influence my rating, but I thought it might be useful! As for the food; the Goku Tan Tan Men Ramen was packed with flavor and spice! I would put the heat level at about a six or seven, but the richness of the broth really is worth it! This is definitely one of my favorite spicy ramens! Their Goku Tonkotsu Ramen is also solid; it doesn't have any fancy tricks or special additions, but it holds its own as a good Tonkotsu! As for the service; our server was attentive and made sure to take care of us while we were there, although it was a little difficult to hear them at times (which resulted in an extra egg in my ramen, but I'm not complaining!) Overall, this is a nice little place to enjoy some delicious ramen! Be aware that they are not open Saturday, Sunday or Monday, so plan accordingly! read more

Menya Goku By Ramen Wasabi - Goku Tan Tan Men Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I go back and forth between Wasabi and High Five as my top ramen choice in Chicago. They're equally satisfying, rich and flavorful. Both take pride in their broths investing hours into each bowl of greatness. Menya Goku continues the Wasabi legacy. The broths are very similar and they even serve variations of the delicious sliders found at Wasabi. If you live near Wasabi, no need to make a special trip. If Menya Goka is more convenient give them a try. You won't be disappointed. read more

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