This is a good place to grab some quick ramen. I came on a Sunday for an early dinner so the place was not particularly full. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen and added chili paste and corn. Unfortunately the waiter forgot to put in the corn for my order. The chili paste helped give the broth a good spicy flavor. The ramen came with chashu (BBQ pork) which was tasty. I ordered the matcha cream puff. Be warned it is a massive cream puff! Great for sharing! The pastry puff itself was not the typical pastry I'm used to but it was still good. The matcha taste was not overpowering where I think people that typically don't like matcha will enjoy. Overall this was a good experience. This is not the best ramen I've ever had but it gets the job done. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Tonkotsu with chili paste. IG: betweencupcakes - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Huge restaurant that is very large and clean! The ramen was delicious. Perfectly seasoned and not salty. I love ramen and some places overkill with salt and too much ingredients that makes it overwhelming. But the noodles and broth was so good here!! I got the one with fried chicken and did not regret this as all. The noodles are chewy and tasty. Can't wait to come back! read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food here is alright, but the vibe and marketing are spot on. I love that the online menu has pictures of all the food and the way it is described sounds delicious. Molten egg is a great description! The pictures are also really well shot and the interior was minimalistic, yet comfortable. The food was quite average. I was very excited since the pictures made it look very yummy, but the food itself was just okay. We ordered the pork belly bun, crispy berkshire dumplings, and the tonkotsu lunch express with the chicken karaage rice, cucumbers, and salad. Pork belly bun: Probably my favorite thing there. The cucumbers were bright and flavorful and the actual pork belly was very soft. Crispy berkshire dumplings: Pretty underwhelming. Ours came very soggy on the bottom and had so much grease that was clearly not strained or blotted in any way. Tonkotsu ramen: The broth was very clean, which I appreciate. It wasn't overly heavy, but it also wasn't exceedingly flavorful. What killed it for me was all the fried garlic. Why spend 10+ hours on a beautiful broth just to kill it with all this garlic? I like garlic so I didn't mind it, but it does detract from the overall ramen experience. The molten egg was incredibly disappointing. It was just a hard boiled egg. I don't know if it was a soy egg or just a plain hard boiled egg. Chicken karaage rice: My chicken came cold. I was also surprised by the use of steamed Jasmine (typical in Chinese cooking) instead of Japanese short-grain rice. Minor detail but it did throw me off and I think it would have tasted better with short-grain. Cucumbers and salad: Not much to say. Both were very refreshing especially when paired with the ramen. read more

Pretty good ramen...the ramen was cooked perfectly. I tend to like my noodles soft. I cant tell if they're fresh but eh as long as it's good. I think it's a tiny bit pricier than other places. The molten egg was good. The wait on a Thursday night at 7 was nonexistent. But it could have been due to the crap weather and it was Halloween. Please note this is a lettuce entertain you restaurant and also a cashless restuarant. Lettuce...lol, still gives me a 1% chuckle kale can't. Service was good. To be perfectly honest, I'm giving this place 5 stars for the poop emoji sign they use for the bathroom, LOL. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Don't go. It's not worth paying over 15 bucks for a bowl of ramen that has MOSTLY just noodles. This place makes me experience for the first and last time the worst ramen you can ever have! What kind of ramen has no flavor in broth, no bamboo shoots, 3 pieces of small meat and hard boiled egg (as opposed to running yolk eggs). SO DISAPPOINTING. To break down the ingredient list, it's 90% noodles 5% raw lettuce ( btw who does that in a ramen?) 2% fried chicken that tastes worse than home made 2.9% green onion 0.1% over easy egg. You're welcome. I'm saving your time and money. Trust me I know what a good ramen should taste like! read more

Visited Ramen San Whiskey Bar on a Friday night and it was moderately full, considering COVID situation. They had made really good arrangements for this. You had to pre-order at the entrance after which they took you to your table to reduce interaction. You even had to order bottled water if you needed any. It did take out a bit from its ambience but I think its still a necessary precaution for covid and appreciate them for this We ordered the imperial shio ramen with extra molten egg and spice on the side. Adding the spice to the ramen really did add to the flavor. Without it, it just felt slightly bland. The noodles were cooked perfectly and tasted great. All the flavors of the veggies, egg and the nori came together well and made it a good dish to try out read more

RAMEN-SAN - The Imperial Shio - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Experience: Ramen-San is part of the Fulton Market area. Great businesses, bars and restaurants surround it. With that said, you can definitely make a day out of it! As a party of 4, we were greeted, seated, and served right away! Ambience is very casual, yet formal. Parking: Parking is definitely difficult within this area. There are valet and paid-meter parking available. If you are looking for free parking, there is a 2 hour limit on Lake, but spaces may be limited. I would try to avoid the hassle and take public transportation or Uber, OR go on an off day. Worth: 100% worth the visit, but just so you are aware, this location does not have a lot of types of ramen due to being a whiskey bar. Regardless food was amazing and staff was friendly and professional. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The chicken shio ramen and pork fat bao bun was amazing! Delivery service via UberEats was fantastic as well!

This is BY FAR the best ramen I have ever had. Ever since moving from austin I've been on the hunt for a new favorite ramen spot. This is IT!!! I've eaten ramen from michelin star restaurants, japanese ramen joints, and all over but this one stands out the most. Everything from the broth to the noodles to the tenderness of the meat is perfectly done. The place has a great atmosphere as well. I wish it was closer to me - I've been dreaming of it since my last bowl. read more

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Really good, but not as good as Hi 5. If the wait is crazy at hi5, this is a good second place.

Fantastic ramen place in West loop on those cold winter/rainy days in Chicago. They are also so mindful of any allergies you may have (egg/gluten ect). Wonderful atmosphere. Fast service. Overall a great place to just sit down and hang out and eat ramen. Nice bar area too. Fried chicken is really good too. I've been here way too many times to count and it is always the same. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A friend and I came here for lunch on a Saturday, and it was mostly empty with only about 3 other tables. The interior is cute and clean, and it's a great atmosphere for a casual meal. We were actually thinking of ordering delivery but decided to come in instead because GrubHub didn't have their "Express Lunch" option, for which you can choose a rice plate and ramen. I ordered the Express Lunch ($15) with big-eye tuna rice plate and tonkotsu ramen, and it also came with a small salad and pickled cucumbers. The ramen was great; the noodles were cooked perfectly, and the broth was flavorful. The tuna rice plate was interesting; it was white rice topped with raw tuna that was mixed with what looked like spicy mayo. The tuna was good by itself, but I thought it was too bland to be a good topping for white rice. They also have $6 okonomiyaki, which is like a Japanese savory pancake. The waiter said it would be a good appetizer to share, and we ordered the pork belly okonomiyaki (which I forgot to take a picture of before diving in because I was really hungry). It was topped with fried egg, pork belly, and green onions, and while it was delicious, it was hard to share with another person because it got a messy as we tried to include a little of every topping in our bites. read more

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We were going to try to check out High-Five, but didn't feel like waiting. Luckily, we were able to sit down right away ar Ramen-San. The space is open and on nice days, they have the front windows open. Great for a day that is warm but a little rainy, so you can still get some fresh air. There is outdoor seating as well, but since everything was wet, we opted to sit inside. I got their special of the day, which was a Spicy Garlic Miso. It was not unbearably spicy, I would rate it maybe a 4 or 5. It was very garlic-y, which for me, was a plus. It was pretty good! It's hard for me to be disappointed by ramen, to be honest. I do wish the yolk in the egg had been a little more runny, but for me, that is just personal preference. The noodles are the wavy kind (not sure of the name, but they look kind of like what you would find in a top ramen pack, but tasted much better). I usually prefer the straight noodles, but again, that is personal preference. They gave me a LOT of pork, which was a nice surprise considering you usually only get a small slice of pork belly. My boyfriend got the fried chicken and kimchi ramen, which was pretty unique. We also got the xoxo shrimp/pork dumplings, which. were. amazing. Bursting with umami flavor. I would have been happy with just a meal of those! Overall, I would return again. Definitely a must-try if you are craving ramen in West Loop but don't feel like braving the High-Five line. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Spicy Garlic Miso Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The sister and I wanted to try some ramen because it was cold out and we wanted something warm and soupy. We got some latte beforehand and this place was right next door. They weren't busy and the hostess showed us to our table immediately. YUZU LEMONADE I really like this drink because it was sweet and tart. It was very refreshing and I love the acidic citrus flavor. PANKO-CRUSTED CHICKEN The chicken was moist and I liked the crispy exterior. The sauce added some sweetness to the dish. Overall, flavors were good, but a bit drying. The side salad really came in handy for this because it added some freshness. BIG-EYE TUNA This was just a simple tuna poke bowl. It was nothing spectacular. The tuna tasted great with the cherry tomatoes. I always like some acidity with my fish. Overall, it was okay. TONKOTSU- pork broth, chashu pork, molten egg, and fried garlic I really like the flavors of the tonkotsu broth. It was creamy and not overly salty. The chashu pork was slightly burnt on the edges, which gave it a bitter taste, but overall, this ramen wasn't bad. I liked the flavors especially with the addition of the fried garlic. The egg wasn't as creamy as I would've liked. The flavors were good and I'm glad it wasn't overly salted. SHIO- veg broth, molten egg, tofu, and nori The broth was too bland for my liking and taste wise it was lackluster in spice. The tofu was good in texture and absorbing the flavor of the broth, but it would've been better if the broth had more seasoning. Overall, not a huge fan of this bowl. Not a bad try for ramen in chicago. There are more establishments out there that I want to try before coming back here, but I'm sure I'll be back. read more

RAMEN-SAN - yuzu lemonade - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Met here for drinks and ramen with a friend. The atmosphere is a little noisy so not the beat for conversations. But I absolutely loved the cocktails! The old fashioned was so good, and the ramen was great too! I got the kimchi ramen and it was definitely a bit on the spicer side. Got wontons for an appetizer and loved those too! read more

Had an amazing dinner at Ramen-San, in my last weekend in Chicago! During COVID, they have a heated patio seating area and also indoor only the ones near the windows, we decided to sit outside and their menu was scannable, which was convenient since it's contact less! We got the Mantou buns with fried chicken, shredded cabbage and Japanese mustard for starters, these were sold per piece wise, which was a little pricey for the size they came, but they were delicious! We got the kimchi fried chicken ramen, which was huge and worth the price! Me and my cousin shared the ramen because it was so big and was so delicious! We also got a vegan option for my mom, the vegan kimchi fried rice, also so good. Overall loved our dining experience, friendly staff and delicious food! read more

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Our family enjoys ramen when we gather in Chicago and this holiday we decided to go to Ramen-San and everyone enjoyed it a lot! To begin everyone loved the OG hip-hop music and that alone put them all in a good mood! Attentive and knowledgeable staff. For a ramen restaurant we like their variety and everyone raved over their choices! Personally my favorite here is the tonkotsu. I added extra bok choy and buttered corn. It was served hot and a very sizable portion! Delicious for sure! One of our party had the sumo bowl and he loved it so much he insisted we return one more time during our week in the city! Enjoyed the Asahi draft a lot too! (Side note: I wish they offered the extra bok choy option at all their locations, but that's just me.) A solid choice for ramen in Chicago! read more

RAMEN-SAN - My personal favorite here -- tonkotsu with extra bok choy & buttered corn! - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place was AMAZING! From the appetizers, to the ramen and the atmosphere...they played hip hop, which we love. Indoor and outdoor seating, weather was great and service was great as well. read more

RAMEN-SAN - tonkotsu* (added spice to mine) - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Craving ramen? Check out Ramen-San! We were seated immediately on a Saturday for lunch. They have several options for ramen, from tonkatsu to shoyu. We opted for the tonkatsu ramen and the kimchi and fried chicken ramen. I loved the kimchi and fried chicken ramen!! The fried chicken is similar to Japanese fried chicken (karaage) and pairs really well with the spicy sesame broth. There was a generous portion of fried chicken in the ramen bowl. My husband loved his tonkatsu ramen and the thick cuts of pork char siu! Both ramens were on the more expensive side, but the price was worth satisfying our ramen craving :) Overall, a great restaurant with an awesome atmosphere and ramen! read more

We came here early on a Friday night, and shortly after arriving the place really got packed. Looked like seating at the bar was a decent option for those trying to sneak in. We started our meal with a margarita which was decent. The ice cold beer that followed really hit the spot. I had the sumo ramen that had almost everything I was craving. I added garlic and hot chili oil. So good. The noodles were Sun noodles, so you know they were going to be good. The space felt a bit more casual than we were expecting, but the meal was solid. Would go back. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friends and I were craving ramen and the wait at High Five was like 20 hours, so we walked over to Ramen-san instead. We originally wanted to go to Ramen Takeya, but this place was closer, so we decided to give it a try. Before we even got a table, I went to the restroom and it was filthy. I'll spare you the details but the toilet was disgusting, and I hope the person who used it before me is in a better state. Anyway, we got to our table, and it took forever for the server to take our orders. I got the Tonkatsu, my friend got the "Special", and my other friend got the Yuzu. It took even longer for the bowls to come out but we had our sake bombs, so that was fine. With the first sip of my ramen broth, I knew it was no good. It was salty with essentially no other dimension, except saltiness. The tonkatsu was covered in a weird spice and tasted almost burnt. The noodles were a little congealed and difficult to separate. I'm generally not picky about my food, but this was not good, and my friends agreed. Instead of two stars, I gave this place one because at the end of the meal, I had brought a small chocolate tart for my friends and I to share. I asked the server for a knife and to my surprise, she simply said "um, you can't eat that here...we have desserts..." and walked away. No thanks, Ramen-san. read more

They had some spicy pork ramen I tried it was seasonal I'm upset it wasn't year round. The drinks are pretty good. Their late night fried rice got me in a chokehold read more

Fun place, great food and awesome service by Marie! Favorite Dishes: Japanese Old Fashioned was great and Spicy Yuzu Ramen was delicious. Good for: Happy Hour, Cocktails, Bar Seating, Guys' Night read more

Excellent lunch specials and great service. I got the Ramen with fried chicken and added Nori. They also have one of my favorite cocktails on the menu that I want to try. I'll definitely be back to try some other menu items. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Lunch special - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I accidentally made a reservation at the Fulton market location instead of the one on River North location. We took a cab and made it in time for our reservation rather than wait 25 minutes standby @river north. First impression: Very nice, open and clean location. The River North location was packed and had a long wait. This location had plenty of tables - no reservation was needed on a Friday for lunch. Very friendly and helpful staff. Still the great music you have come to expect at Ramen-San. The lunch special is a great deal. As we were leaving the river north location the host yelled to us to try the "spicy yuzu". I came to find out that this ramen is unique to this location. It was delicious!! I asked the server about it and she said it was her favorite. Very nice spice and the chicken thigh had a slight Smokey flavor. Overall another wonderful Ramen-San experience! This place is always on my list to visit when I am in Chicago read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time trying this spot, hands down the best ramen I've had in Chicago yet! I also indulged in a few old fashioned drinks that were phenomenal. The service was exceptional and the staff were very informative! Looking forward to going back! read more

RAMEN-SAN - kimchi and fried chicken - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Classic hip hop blended with delicious ramen, coupled with some nice cocktails? What a dope spot! Nestled in west loop, this place is major vibes. Take your friends or family here for a medium key atmosphere. I would suggest getting the penicillen (cocktail). read more

I ordered the express lunch. A smaller portion of Ramen(my second favorite dish in the world), with sides of salad, cucumber and tuna rice. Very good lunch option with affordable price. Food was excellent, with service being excellent, from the host to the server. read more

Need a heartier meal to pair with whisky. The Bar is awesome and so is the Ramen. The ambiance is pretty cool and chic.

Great ramen spot!! We arrived hungry and cold, so ramen was the perfect solution. Our server was attentive and very helpful with suggestions! I ordered the sumo and was not disappointed. The taste of the broth was rich and creamy, but not overwhelming. The portion is very generous; I wasn't able to finish my bowl! I found the dumplings in the sumo to be a great addition. We had different palates in our group and everyone enjoyed what they got. Definitely will return again! read more

Ramen-san was a late addition to a crowded West Loop scene but has had no problem making a name for itself. I've now had everything on the menu at least once, and, though I've never hesitated to recommend it, I write this now with true appreciation. People say a lot of weird things when they critique ramen places. More so with ramen than with any other type of food, reviews, even in aggregate, aren't particularly useful. The ramen here is top tier. If you don't believe me, that's okay, but, unlike some of the most popular alternatives, Ramen-san's excellence goes beyond what's in the bowl. It's an expansive space that serves as a great date spot, a place for business lunches, and a venue to have fun with a group of friends. Ramen-san is probably the best ramen place in Chicago to dine with a large group without feeling like everyone else in the restaurant hates you. Their lunch menu provides substantial portions at prices that are difficult for anywhere to beat. The variety of the menu is second to none. There is so much here aside from ramen. If you eat as much as I do, you're not stuck ordering gyoza or doubling down on your main source of protein. I really appreciate that and so has every one of my friends that I've brought here. An unsung, and, perhaps, unknown virtue of Ramen-san is that the restaurant has extremely reasonable prices for high-quality Japanese whiskey. A common criticism of bars is oh-I-can-just-buy-a-bottle-for-$75-at-Binny's. The difference here is that you can't easily buy some of these bottles, and the price of Yamazaki 12 Year is the cheapest I have seen anywhere. The original menu that's still online lists it at $17 (!!!!!!!), which actually might have been a typo, but I recall it sitting somewhere in the low twenties. Anyway, this is a wonderful spot with great staff and one of the best playlists in the city. read more

A group of 4 of us came by for dinner last night and we had a solid meal. 2 of us had the genmaicha ol' fashioned, which was very tasty. We tried the pork belly and crispy tofu mantou buns, A+. 2 of us had the special, fatty ramen, which had tonkotsu broth, crispy carnitas, shredded cabbage, scallions, and burnt garlic oil. I added extra spice to mine and it sure had a good kick. The 2 others had the tantan-san. Overall everything was solid and tasty, no complaints! read more

Awesome food awesome service and a great price. Cool vibes all around. If I'm in the area I will come back. Fried Brussel sprouts. read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The bartender that was working on Monday November 14th gave the best service I've had in a bar. They were so on point, pleasant, and professional. Seriously, this person was fantastic. read more

DRINKS ARE AMAZING ! we ordered the pork belly buns super yum!! ! Omg so good! The ramen was delicious ! Wish there was more noodles but very yummy and not too filling ! I had the old fashioned abs the penicillin drink was also great, I love ginger drinks and this was amazing! Hope to be back soon read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Send noods ;) !! First time eating at the infamous Ramen-San! Quick tip from yours truly, don't be me and accidentally think you have a reservation at the Fulton Market location when you actually were booked for the Whiskey Bar on Green St. Don't. Be. Me. Coordination issues aside, this place was absolutely stellar! Nice wooden aesthetic on the inside with plenty of outdoor dining options as well. Ordered an appetizer of Gyoza, which was pretty solid, no complaints, but also nothing special. Went with the Tokushima Ramen special that featured a 10-hr Tonkotsu broth, sweet soy tare, japanese crispy bacon, marinated egg yolk, bamboo shoots and scallions. I added pork chashu to this as I needed more meat other than just bacon. I thought it was good, but one thing I learned with this dish is that bacon and ramen don't mix well, as the oils coming off the bacon and mixing with the broth give it a slightly...sea water-y flavor. But the chashu pork was amazing, very tender and well marinated. Overall still loved the dish. And I cannot recommend the margarita enough! This location in particular is a whiskey bar but I don't usually enjoy whiskey. My friend ordered the Yuzu high ball which I took a sip of and was quite smooth. Overall I think the food was okay, I've honestly had better ramen, but I really enjoyed the overall vibe and service. Great place for new arrivals or people visiting Chicago. read more

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This update is long overdue. I returned back to this location and they completely revamped how they do their wonderfully delicious nuggets. Hot, crispy, well-seasoned and delicious. Although I must admit I'm still partial to the flagship restaurant, this location is pretty sweet. As usual the food was extremely fresh and the service was top notch. You have to try this place out if local to you. This is a solid win if you're coming here for especially during this time of year for some warm yummy goodness. This was perfect before the theater. read more

Express Lunch was perfect and filling. Great service at the bar and not too busy. Would love to return! read more

RAMEN-SAN - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing food and very good service. Ambience was decent. I wish they had some outlets in suburbs.

I've been to Ramen-San many times and in general I've always had a really solid time across the board. This particular time however I must say was terrible. The service was fine and bartenders and managers were polite and amicable but the food was absolutely atrocious. Somehow I got undercooked noodles and burned pork in the same plate. My egg was not runny and gooey at all but basically hard boiled. I feel like what I had was just whatever was at the bottom of the pot. I know it was near the closing time and that's why it could've been bad but realistically the absolute worst ramen experience I have ever had, couldn't even stand to finish the bowl. Manager was kind enough to take care of the meal but still would've been nice if they didn't have to do that. read more