I was hungry yesterday night and wanted to get quick dinner. I found this place less than a mile from my house. I came here around 8:45 pm and had 45 mins (as they were closing at 9:30 pm). [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside space is nicely laid out - I liked chill vibe of the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] However, they have interesting set up for order - you have to use kiosk to place the order and I didn't see much of change options for entrees like ramen change requests. The food that I got was very delicious- enjoyed it and portions were generous. I felt it would have been even more nice to have some sake options to go with this food. read more

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Food was great. Started with the Chicken Egg Rolls & Shrimp Teriyaki appetizers. The egg rolls were packed and didn't fall apart when you bit into them. The Shrimp were long and the breading was not doughy. We then tried the stir fry rice combo & the stir fry Raman combo. Both were delicious. Both did not skimp on the protein. This is definitely worth coming back. read more

How delightful! This place hit the spot after a long day. The orange chicken with fried rice looked amazing in the photo and had to grab the spring rolls. I was thinking about broccoli after ordering and actually received the orange chicken with some delicately cooked broccoli perfectly. Great flavor and peas and carrots in the rice are just the right touch. Legit orange chicken bowl. Upon calling to ask about a menu item's ingredients (whether it was dairy free) and they were very helpful. Thank you for a great dinner. read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Orange Chicken Bowl - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

I found this restaurant on Yelp. We ordered takeout and the food is delicious! I ordered the pork tonkatsu ramen and the spring rolls. We also got two sides of egg fried rice. The ramen was perfect. The pieces of pork were big and plentiful. Broth was exactly what you'd expect for a dish like this- exceptional flavor. Service was convenient and our food was ready for pickup at the designated time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside of the place looks nice so maybe one day we'll dine in.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Pork Tonkotsu Ramen Soup - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

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It must be an off day. The waitress told us to pick a table. Our table had soy sauce spilled on it. We only had two people so we just avoided that side of the table. We waited a long time for the waitress to come take our order... so ended up using the kiosk. The calamari came out at the same time with the soups. The small pieces of calamari were perfectly fried... the big pieces were very rubbery. The egg was gray, smelled funny, and tasted funny... my husband ate his and I did not eat mine. Last time we really enjoyed our food... must just be an off day. Not taking off stars this time. read more

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I imagined how satisfying it might have been biting into entire clove of roasted black garlic until I realized that was not the reality of ordering that dish on the menu. Instead, I did find the noodles thin enough & the veg & soup ingredients satisfactory. Increase in one star, because I'm willing to find my zen & will likely not forget this place. However, if you were to serve that soup temperature hot it would be so much better for every single customer. Also, cry until you cry spice request starts with fresh green or red chili, especially of the Thai variety. I sweated it out, probably because the sriracha was handy nearby. No tears of joy yet, maybe next time? read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Black garlic is either a clever marketing trick or hidden within that milky cold broth - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

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Small and locally owned, Zen Ramen & Grill offers ramen and other Japanese food and drink items. It is located in a strip mall which makes parking easily accessible. At max capacity it can hold 97 individuals. This surprises me since it looks a lot smaller. I personally think it should hold 50-60 people max to be comfortable. Service was very quick. My fiance and I were seated right away and a staff member had asked for our drink order within seconds. We stuck with water and for some reason the tap was not good. Tasted stale and with a lot of iron. For food we started with chicken karage and unfortunately this was a miss for me. Seemed more of a chicken nugget and the flavors just weren't what I normally expect. For our entrees we both ordered 2 different ramens: Chicken Miso & Black Garlic Pork Tonkatsu. The chicken miso was also a miss for me, the broth tasted very tomato based and the texture of the chicken was off. It felt undercooked but looked way over cooked. The vegetables and half egg were also cold and lacked flavor. Fortunately the black garlic pork tonkatsu was better - the broth was OK and we both preferred the black garlic ramen over the chicken miso. Zen Ramen won't be my 'go to' ramen spot however if someone were to coordinate a meal here I would happily join! read more

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Service was great. Place is not too big but theres a few tables and booth and bar seats. They has the kind of ramwn noodles that i like. (Not Udon). For appetizers we had fried brussels sprouts and Chicken Karage. I love the chicken Karage it was tender and seasoned perfectly. My Spicy Shiyou and Tempura Ramen was really good. A bit too spicy for me but someone suggested the Shrimp Ramen so i. Going back to get that! I also want to try their hibachi. So i am definitely coming back! Happy Eating!!! read more

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I ordered pork buns as an appetizer, which came in two and were served on a plastic taco holder. The buns are light and fluffy, with a hint of sweetness. The pork belly is char grilled on both sides. I believe they overdid it because it was burned and the meat was bit dry. It's bizarre how they cut the cucumber; it's thicker than the pork belly, and from afar, it seems that I'm eating cucumber buns. It is not worth it, and I would not recommend it. The ramen appears pitiful. I wouldn't tell what's in the bowl because the contents are drowning in the soup. They need to work on the presentation. The pork belly is prepared similarly to the appetizer. The noodles were firm and chewy, and the boiled egg was cooked exactly such that the yolk was runny, just way I like it. The soup was average, and the flavor was linear; unfortunately, it tasted like instant noodle package. I left feeling quite disappointed and wishing I could go somewhere else except this eatery. I promised myself that my dinner would be more filling than my lunch. read more

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I had a pleasant first time experience at Zen Ramen Grill. The service was friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was filled with greenery and ample seating. They have a convenient online ordering station located inside the restaurant. The Black Garlic Tonkotsu was flavorful 8/10 and the Spicy Shoyu w. Shrimp tempura has a spicy kick 7/10. The Edamame and Gyoza were also delicious though i felt like the Edamame was super super salty. I noticed they had a lot of foot traffic going going in and out for both dinning in and takeout. Could be a positive sign their takeout is consistent - will likely follow up. read more

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To start off, I'm new to ramen, I only started eating it a couple of months ago. I've also only had ramen from a different state, so I'm basing my opinions off of comparing Zen to ramen places in the state I normally buy them. The pros: I like the ordering system, it's cool and efficient. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I enjoyed being able to sit in a booth rather than table/chairs.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The cons..... -I ordered the pork tonkotsu, it was maybe luke warm when it was served to me. It wasn't steaming or hot in anyway. Within 10 minutes it was cold. -my food was delivered pretty quick, we waited 10-15 MINUTES for my husbands food. Had we been on a first date, that would've been so awkward! -the meat was charred & overcooked *compared* to the other ramen I've tried, which was very lightly cooked. I didn't like the meat over cooked. -the bamboo shoots smelled absolutely disgusting, almost like sewer. Now- this could be "normal", but again, the ramen I have had did not have foul smelling bamboo shoots, they didn't really smell like anything. I had to remove them from my soup because it smelled so bad and tainted the broth. -the boba smoothie was absolutely TERRIBLE! This may be personal preference to be fair, it's super icy and may have been my fault for not asking if it's made with milk. Again, in the state I get boba from, if it says "smoothie"- it's made with milk, as opposed to "icy" which is water. The tapioca was TERRIBLE too, I've never had tapioca in all my years drinking it to be MUSHY tapioca! It wasn't chewy, but straight mush like it was old?! Overall, I will never be coming back, and did not satisfy my ramen craving. Upset because this place is so highly rated! I wish the boba would've been worth $7 at least! read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Pork Tonkotsu Ramen Soup (husband waited 10-15 mins for his food) - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

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I'm so glad that this place is doing well. I always see little local businesses come and go, but Zen Ramen continues to grow everytime I visit! They are always adding new things to the menu, so I'm able to try something new each time I go. The katsu curry chicken was so delicious, I think it might be my new favorite after the ramen. It's a HUGE portion, but soul warming. The steamed broccoli was a welcome addition in between bites of slightly spicy curry. I'm definitely going to be ordering again. read more

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First time trying them , but as take out. I ordered fried rice with chicken, veggie ramen soup, & veggie stir fry. Fried with Chicken had absolutely NO FLAVOR. Looked delicious but when taking a bite it was very bland, no salt or anything. Veggie Ramen Soup, i understand it was veggies & tofu BUT NO FLAVOR. I expected some flavor, plain broth. Veggie Stir Fry was the only good flavorful thing. Give a 1/5 and only because the stir fry was the only thing that tasted good. Waste of my money. Never been a complainer but expected more flavors and taste for food thats $15+. Very Disappointed. read more

Very friendly service with decent food. Pork Tonkotsu Ramen - broth is a lot thinner than I would have expected, decent flavor but not as deep as I would like. Ramen was cooked perfectly, more like fresh ramen, so more chewy. I will probably go to Kitikata or something. read more

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Been here a few times and everything I've tried is so good! The prices are very reasonable especially considering the large portions sizes. 5 stars all the way! read more

I was excited to have a new Ramen place close by. It is nice inside and it is in a nondescript strip mall. We sat at the counter and there were maybe 2 other people on a Thursday night. The Server was very nice and friendly and seemed to know the menu very well, we asked questions and she knew all the answers. We started with some excellent Chicken Kara-age, well breaded, not greasy, crunchy, Hot! and good. The Gyoza was almost like deep fried, but it also was very good with a perfect black Vinegar sauce. The Appetizers were both good so I had high hopes. When our Ramen came it looked good. The first big shocker was the temperature, it was kinda lukewarm at best, and the noodles were not toothy or elastic; they were like egg noodles that sat in liquid for too long, no real texture. I wasn't crazy about the black garlic taste, it had a bit of an odd flavor, I finished it, it wasn't bad, just I would not get it again. The Spicy Ramen had some real heat again, not a lot of complexity but it was fine, the broth reminded me of instant spicy ramen. I don't think I would go back for Ramen, the other food we had was very good, I would like to go back and try some of the other things they have read more

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For some reason, they have two different menus that key into two different payment systems, so separate checks need to be made if one orders from both menus. I think their main menu items are fine or a bit mediocre, just a bit overpriced. The second menu items are not advertised at the table and can only be ordered through one of the digital kiosks they have at the side or specifically ordered through the waitress. I mostly only order off the second menu for their bulgogi sandwich. The quality of their steak is amazing and beats a Philly cheese steak any day! I think they could make good business selling banh mi with the quality of the beef in their sandwich. read more

First off, waitress didn't write down my order and guess what , part of my order was wrong. The make pens n paper or electronic note taking for a reason, use them. But I kept the mistaken food, I do not like wasting food or waiting again. Had to get my own napkins and extra spices myself. Only came back to check on me once. The ramen was a nice size portion, but very bland and no spice at all. Would not go back. read more

i've been coming to the spot since it has open and it's always been the same, good food with generous portions at a great price with fast service. Everything is so good, my personal favorite dishes are the chicken katsu, takoyaki, and their shrimp miso ramen. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place feels warm and welcoming, I totally recommend.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

The food was lackluster. Everything was bland. The steak hibachi was overcooked and tough. The fried rice was bland, no favor. The cha-shu in the ramen tasted like it came out from the freezer. Not to mention the service was horrible. Tables were not cleaned, people standing around chatting and not tending to tables. If you're lacking waiters then just cut out the wait staff and make this restaurant an order at the counter type joint. They even have a kiosk inside already. Customers can order the food and get it at the counter. No need for waiters, instead use the staff to clean the tables! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Small and cute atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was good and quick, kind workers. The prices are way too expensive for what you get sadly. I do recommend trying this place out. read more

The Food is amazing!! I had the veggie ramen with a side of Brussels sprouts and spicy peppers. My friends had the chicken and rice bowl. One of my new favorite restaurants now. I can't wait to go back! read more

Great new place to try! Food: The amount of variety they offer! Fried Rices, Ramen, Stir Fried Noodles! Everything has tasted pretty good and fresh. There's also Boba and other drinks. The ramen broth I had especially is very homey. Been here 3 times already! Service: Every time I've been here, the servers have been really nice and kind! Only issue is, and very understandable as this place is new and doesn't have many servers, the service at times can take slightly long (the food doesn't take long) but totally understandable as they are an up and coming restaurant. Ambiance: I really like the feel of the layout is great, booths and tables with a portion of the kitchen visible to patrons. Great place. Suggestions to owners: I love this place, my BIGGEST suggestion would be maybe change the bowls and plates for the ramen and the rice. The only reason is all 3 times I've gone the food comes out hot as ever but within 5-10 mins the food cools down immensely to where it's not as enjoyable. In previous ramen shops I've been to, the shop soaks their ramen bowls in boiling water so they keep the ramen hot as can be almost throughout a full 30-40 mins. I think either a strategy like that or switching the material of the bowls may help!! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice vibe inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Enjoyed ordering on our phone. Brought food out quickly. Decent food. Would come back. read more

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Definitely my favorite ramen restaurant in the area! The staff are always friendly. The service is fast and efficient. The food is expertly prepared and flavorful. My favorite appetizer is the pork bun, followed by the spring rolls. I like my ramen spicy, so I usually get the spicy pork tonkatsu. There are only two desserts to choose from, but the mochi is refreshing and the fresh made donuts are good for 2 to share. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Pleasant staff. Food mediocre. Better options in the area. Will likely not return.

Hidden jem of food and service..[[HIGHLIGHT]]new addition of arcade room looks fun.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Huge portions and great variety of ramen read more

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Mom told us about this new restaurant that she had seen signage for, and knowing how much I like Ramen, she suggested I stop by. So three of us stopped by for lunch on a Tuesday. We were greeted warmly by the proprietor and seated near a window. The inside of the restaurant is very cute: a lot of space and a nice open kitchen to see the food being prepared. There are laminated menus on each table (two sided). Ramen is the speciality so all three of us ordered that (around $13 to $15 per bowl). We all love Tonkatsu ramen (and that can clearly show the skill of the chef), and I was going to order that as well, but changed my mind after talking to our server and ordered the Spicy Shoyu with Shrimp Tempura instead. We were comped an order of the crab rangoon....getting free food at the beginning just doesn't happen as much anymore, and put all three of us in a great mood. The app itself was OK...really crispy and fresh, but I wasn't really crazy about the filling. My ramen was good: the broth was flavorful and definitely spicy, not nearly as rich as Tonkatsu (which probably is a good thing for me later). The ajitama egg seemed OK (my daughter ate mine and didn't say anything positive/negative either way). The noodles were ordinary, definitely firm and good, but closer to the firmness and taste of instant ramen noodles than the freshly made curls of heaven that can be gotten from a 5-star shop. The three generous shrimp tempura was outstanding, able to withstand the soup without getting too soggy. The rest of the add-ons were OK (sweet corn, baby bokchoy, broccoli instead of bamboo shoots). I did have a sip of the Tonkatsu ramen (the broth was ok), and the pork slices were good (more thin than other places, which I prefer). It used the same noodles and egg. The service was outstanding, very attentive and generous. I had a hard time with this review...the food itself (with the price) was definitely in the 3.5 to 4 star range, when compared to other ramen places we have been to (in LA)...and if this had been a carryout order, that's what it would have been. But with the great service, comped appetizer, and the enjoyment of eating in a locally owned restaurant where the owner has to be the jack of all trades (including conversationalist), this is what eating out should be. You can definitely feel the effort and love of the workers in this place, and would really hope that the community continue to support Zen. read more

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Been here a few times now for lunch. Really good, and consistent food. Quick and friendly service. The owner loves serving delicious dishes from their culture to share. Decent prices for the great food and atmosphere. If you're looking for really good Ramen in the Hanover Park area, give Zen a try. read more

This place was recommended for ramen and I was not impressed. It seemed overpriced and not all that tasty to my liking.

Food was amazing. Everything we ordered was great. Service was a 10+ and we will definitely revisit. Don't let the odd location deter you from checking out this place. This would we a jumping spot if it was located in Highwood or downtown Naperville. read more

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Good little place to eat. Service was on top of it and the busser helped out alot. The food was good just bland is the star knock off. Great place to get a quick bite in a strip mall. Don't be turned off by the outside it's a little outdated bit the inside is very cute. Open kitchen which is cool Just BLAND. read more

I see this place busy so I decided to give it a try. The young hispanic girl waitress was super friendly and attentive. The place looked nice inside. Now for the food, we ordered Gyoza and egg rolls. The gyoza is fried and you can taste it's been frozen for a while. The egg rolls are nasty, probably the worst I tried. My son ordered a Mexican coke and they didn't have any more so he asked for a Dr Pepper and they where out as well. The sprite he got tasted nasty since it was a fountain drink. We ordered a brown sugar boba and it way way to sweet. My son got Shoyu W. Shrimp Tempura and pork belly and broth was not good. I order orange chicken with fried rice. The portion is huge and the rice was alright but the orange chicken had no orange flavor and the taste wasn't good it was like cardboard with syrup and no flavor. We also ordered Spicy Pork Miso Ramen Soup and everything was good except for the taste of the broth. We got the steak and shrimp habachi with vegetables no rice and it was the best dish here. All the food looked so good but just missing taste. read more

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What a horrible experience. From the gyoza to the three different entrees that were ordered....all negatives. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Wife said the kid behind the counter was accommodating, and the place was clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Completely forgettable food. read more

Great addition to the neighborhood. Excellent food. Wings were crispy. Steak hibachi was delicious and sooo much food for the price. Not pictured was the chicken ramen. It was perfectly cooked. My favorite dish was actually the pork bao buns. We also had a few mochi to top it off. Service was quick and friendly. No complaints all around! We've also ordered take out. The ramen comes packaged in large plastic containers. The broth is separate. No mess. This kept the noodles and meat from becoming soggy in transit. Genius. I had the pork ramen which id highly recommend. We also had the orange chicken. It was a tad to spicy for me ( I'm weak) but my friend enjoyed it. Food was ready at the desired pick up time. Another great experience! read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Crispy Chicken Wings (4pc) Crispy Fried Crab Wontons(4 Pcs) - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

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This is a great little spot in Hanover Park that I'm happy to battle the traffic anytime to go to. Starting with the pork buns and potstickers -- both noteably just as good as anything I've had in Chinatown. Then we moved onto the Ramen. More noodles in this than I've ever had at any other suburban Ramen place. Could use a little boost of flavor but all in all really great. Topped off with green tea FTW. All in all, check this place out. It is a giant pain to get to especially if you're there around the end of a work day - but the experience, food and service were solid. We will be back. read more

We finally went yesterday after driving by and wanting to try. We had Egg Rolls as an appetizer, excellent, Ivy recommended some spicy oil that was over the top. I had a Spicy Ramen and my wife had a Bowl with Chicken, had the left overs for lunch and we will be back very soon! Thanks Ivy! read more

Decided to try this new place tonight on a whim. Small but comfortable, looked new remodeled, clean appearance. I had the Beef Paitan, it was the perfect portion size and priced well. With the small menu I look forward to trying a little bit of everything over time. Give the try.... read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Beef Paitan, a very good dish. - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

Ordered chicken fried rice, wontons and chicken wings. Chicken fried rice and wontons were excellent. Chicken wings could use some work. I'll return in the future. read more

Zen Ramen & Grill - Outside of building - Ramen Near Me - Hanover Park, Illinois

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Everything was delicious and reasonably priced. The spicy pork ramen was awesome and at a great price compared to other ramen restaurants! I highly recommend! read more