Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Akahoshi Ramen

    4.4 (237 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

    Akahoshi Ramen Photos

    Business Info

    AKAHOSHI RAMEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate

    You might also consider

    More like Akahoshi Ramen

    Recommended Reviews - Akahoshi Ramen

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Menu
    Greg G.

    Akahoshi keeps it simple, but delicious. This is a true Japanese style ramen shop that knows what they specialize in and it shows. You do have to make reservations, but it is worth a try while in town. We came to celebrant birthday while in town. The moment we walked in we were taken care of. The menu is a QR on the table and the options are pretty straight forward. Traditional Shoyu, Miso, Dipping, and a brothless option. Our table ordered one of each and they all hit the mark. I have been dying to try tsukemen (dipping ramen) which has chewy, cold noodles, served with a thicker very flavorful broth. All ramen was served with chicken and a charshu pork. Our server was very attentive and the food was very try prompt. We all left satisfied and definitely want to return. Is it the best ramen in the world, probably not. However, they know what they are doing. Check it out.

    Veggie-kotsu
    Nivi L.

    Made a beeline here when they finally added the veggie-kotsu to the menu so I could finally see what all the hype was about! The tofu was seasoned DELICIOUSLY, each cube was like this strong umami flavor bomb and was definitely the highlight of the bowl. However, the broth on the other hand fell a bit flat when it came to flavor, which is why I'm giving a 4/5. I felt like the creaminess was detracting from the salt when you'd drink the broth on its own, and I ended up adding chili oil to give it a bit more spice. HOWEVER, a spoonful of broth, noodles, tofu, and veggies is a perfectly balanced bite, with the right textures and flavors melding together in beautiful cohesion, so I still think that this is a delicious dish overall.

    Kim T.

    I was able to snag 5p reservations. Even without reservations, if you come around 5p, you'll most likely get seated. I ordered the April special: garlic tonkotsu ramen. Flavor overall was very good but I did wish the garlic flavor was stronger. I was ready for the garlic flavor to slap me in the face but it was on the light side. The noodles were cooked PERFECTLY! This is according to my own personal preference bc my friend thought the noodles were still a bit too hard. One complaint I do have is the price. It was $22 for my bowl of ramen and that's quite steep. Overall, worth a try and I do want to come back to try their other ramens, but the price prevents me from coming back very often.

    Akahoshi miso
    Gina L.

    Akahoshi's menu is simple and consists of just ramen and drinks. We tried the Akahoshi miso, soupless tantanmen, and the Hakodate Shio special. The shio was the standout- light but flavorful with a nice chicken-seafood depth, and the noodles absorbed the broth well. The miso was good but the noodles didn't quite highlight the broth when mixed together. The tantanmen was my least favorite. While I enjoyed the thicker noodles, the mala spice was overpowering and made the dish one-note. We ordered eggs with our ramen, which were perfectly cooked. Overall, a bit pricey at $18-$22 per bowl and portions were on the smaller side, but you can tell they put a lot of care into making their broths. Their Hakodate Shio was good enough to make me want to come back and try new specials.

    Chili shrimp special
    Michelle G.

    My friends have been to this ramen place and liked it (one friend liked the akahoshi miso, the other didn't like that but liked the yuzu shio special they got). I'd also been curious because I know they'd been busy and there had been a lot of buzz. I ended up getting the Midwestern shoyu and my friend got the spicy chili shrimp special. I liked both but didn't love or feel particularly obsessed/blown away. Good but I personally don't need to go back. I also have to caveat and say I'm a snob (lol) and feel I've been ruined by ramen from when I've gone to Japan, which I know this place is not claiming to do.

    Denyce M.

    This is another one of those places that The Queen frequents on a regular basis for ramen Akahoshi does not offer anything on the menu beyond ramen, but what they do is pretty darn good! Be warned, as of this review, California Ave is under construction and you cannot go north on it, which I did not know. It took me a little bit to find an east-west street to let me get back on California and head to the restaurant. After all of that, I was able to find street parking about two doors away, so that was a win. Akahoshi was bigger than most of the places The Queen has taken me. The vibe was light and airy, with the wood being of a light tan color. There is seating at the kitchen as well as in the window, and there are booths for 3-4 people along the wall. According to The Queen, they do take reservations and I was so glad she had one as she and The Doctor were waiting for me at a booth while I had to deal with road construction. She mentioned that when she dines alone, there are times that there is a line to get into the joint. Akahoshi doesn't serve wine/prosecco, so me and The Queen went with the Hideki Matsuyama, their version of a "boozy Arnold Palmer" with Japanese Oolong, shochu, & house made lemonade. This was very good and I ended up getting a second one. My only complaint on this drink was it needed to be in a way bigger glass than it was served in, it was that good for me. For eats, The Queen and The Doctor got the Soupless Tantanmen (soupless variant of ramen, based loosely on Dandan noodles. Extra thick noodles, topped with pork) and I got the Midwest Shoyu (chicken soup, soy sauce/katsuobushi, sababushi, thin noodles, menma bamboo shoots, pork chashu, shio koji chicken breast). We added extra pork chashu, and an Ajitama Egg (Slagel Farms egg, soft boiled, marinated for days). I really enjoyed mine and the egg was cooked perfectly, so I got a second one as well as extra noodles I knew I was taking the leftovers home. It was interesting that it felt like we had been there for a while, but in reality we had not. I think we were there for about an hour and fifteen minutes, so the turnaround is quick. That said, we were not rushed to get out. Didn't get our server's name, but he was very friendly, attentive and sweet. This was definitely a win for me and I am glad The Queen took us to Akahoshi for dinner. Side note: Akahoshi did a collaboration this month with Honey Butter Chicken, creating a ramen using their chicken and pimento cheese. That will be covered in that review, but news flash, it was sooo good!

    Stephanie S.

    Service could have been better. We ordered the lobster ravioli special in Dec 2025. We added the egg but they forgot to bring it. We were a little underwhelmed with the ramen. The dry mazesoba was not very flavorful. The lobster ravioli was ok, didn't feel like it had much lobster. There were only 5 small pieces. The broth was good but not the best that I have had. The egg was the highlight of the meal. It was an expensive underwhelming ramen meal. I would rather have sushi for the same price.

    Akahoshi Miso
    Shannon A.

    Ramen was amazing. Can't stop thinking about how perfect the noodles were and how flavorful the broth was. Already planning my next visit. Shop is small, like it ought to be. Service was friendly and fast. Solid 5 stars.

    Soupless tantanmen and akahoshi miso
    Jennifer N.

    We had planned our day trip around this place so you can tell how excited we were! I know their craft is ramen but I really wish they had a small appetizer and/or dessert menu, something to really round out our dinner date. Hoping this is something they consider in the future, but definitely understand if that's out of scope for them. We ordered two bowls - soupless tantanmen and akahoshi miso. I loveee how bouncy the noodles were and the (miso) broth was overall pretty good - very rich. The tantanmen was really nutty and creamy with a slight kick. Both were great but I do think the prices are a bit steep for just soup and noodles. You're looking at a $30 bowl once you add on an egg and extra meat, which I definitely recommend you do. Overall, I do think this place is good, and you're in and out pretty quickly. However, it is definitely not an everyday place for us, cost-wise.

    January 2026 special: Akayu Spicy Miso Ramen
    Allegra A.

    Pro tip if you can't get a reservation: go on a weekday close to opening! We went on a Tuesday around 5 and had no problem getting a table. It did fill up by the time we left closer to 6 though. Both ramen bowls we tried were absolutely delicious and different from any other ramen I've had before since they were miso based (and not tonkotsu based). Service was friendly and our bowls came out quick. Perfect meal for a cold winter day!

    Samuel A.

    This is top-tier Ramen in Chicago. I ordered the akahoshi miso and my wife ordered the January special. The egg is absolutely a must add. Not sure why it is a $ addition here whereas other places it is included, but yeah definitely worth the extra bucks. The broth of the miso is to die for. Tons of umami & creamy oily goodness. Noodles and other toppings were great, but the true star of the show for me was the broth We will have to return for the soup-less dishes as I've heard from multiple people & reviews that they are delicious. 10/10 would slurp again, thanks Ramen Lord!

    Aburasoba
    Mark L.

    We came here right at opening, and there was already a line waiting to get in. The space itself is super modern and clean, definitely a cool vibe for a ramen spot. , I ordered the aburasoba, and it was just delicious. Really well-balanced, flavorful, and just satisfying overall. The food came out pretty quick too, so we weren't waiting long at all, which I appreciated. Service was super quick, and our server was friendly. Overall, it was a great ramen spot and definitely lived up to the hype.

    Miso ramen with an egg
    Alexis C.

    After making a reservation for the wrong night, we walked in thinking we had a table and realized my error... The staff said they could get us in anyway in 20 mins, which they did! The food was amazing, and perfect for a cold Chicago night! We got both of the rice bowls to share, the Ikura bowl with salmon roe was a thing I would eat all the time if I could! The Chashu bowl was also delicious, the chashu was tender and perfectly seasoned. We then all got the miso ramen, which was just delightful. The broth was complex and full of umami, and the noodles were perfectly chewy! It's definitely worth adding the egg into your ramen. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for really high quality ingredients and homemade soup and noodles in their ramen!

    Akahoshi Miso with 2 eggs ($19 + $4 ($2 per egg))

    See all

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Leo M.
    0
    28
    6

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Denyce M.
    1855
    852
    13220

    6 months ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 3
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Elaine M.
    149
    360
    4077

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 3
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Incredible ramen, great atmosphere, and reasonably priced. The service here is always amazing too! Would 100% recommend!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark T.
    529
    1477
    3891

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Akahoshi Ramen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Akahoshi Ramen

    Do you allow kids in the restaurant?

    Yes

    View All 2 Questions

    You might also consider

    RAMEN-SAN

    RAMEN-SAN

    4.0
    (3.3k reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    A lunchtime steal. How can you beat a four course meal under $20?! The miso salmon was the star of…read morethe show, super flavorful and it literally melted in my mouth. The ramen was good but I thought it would be better given that it is a ramen restaurant. It was honestly bland to me but more flavorful once I added ramen pepper, chili flakes, and chili oil. But the ramen egg was the best egg my boyfriend has ever had‍ The edamame hummus was a fun appetizer, very creative and tasty. The salad was your typical Japanese salad with sesame dressing. Would I recommend this for a ramen restaurant? Not quite Would I come back to try more of their menu/express lunch deal? Absolutely

    Honestly, it's just not that good. I was absolutely STARVING so I thought it'd be great considering…read morethe reviews, but the 10 hour tonkotsu is embarrassingly weak. You can tell they water it down a lot and just add a ton of minced garlic to make up for it. By the end of my bowl it was just boiled garlic crumbles. The tonkotsu was also completely the wrong color: translucent, watery, brown chicken-broth looking--not a nice light, fatty, and milky brown. Missing flavor. The chicken ramen was also extremely underwhelming, ZERO FLAVOR in the broth and the chicken!!!!! The meat itself was very moist, but the broth honestly tastes like a can of low sodium chicken broth. Really embarrassing excuse for ramen. I really expected more out of this place. Can't compete with A-tier Asian food in other areas. Service was pretty poor too. One girl for the entire floor of tables. Ignored us the entire time apart from getting our orders. Overall not worth coming back when there's so much better Asian food out there to try.

    Photos
    Chili oil, low sodium soy sauce, chili flakes and furikake on each table
    Chili oil, low sodium soy sauce, chili flakes and furikake on each table
    Pork belly
    Pork belly
    Honey fried Shrimp

    See all

    Honey fried Shrimp
    Ramen Wasabi

    Ramen Wasabi

    4.2
    (2.3k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    I love Wasabi Ramen. Stopped in for a late lunch and was greeted with the familiar smell and…read morescenery. Had the tonkotsu with spice umami (it's always a hit), the sesame mai tai, and my husband had the spicy chicken paitan ramen and naked & famous. I was surprised at how tasty his ramen was! I may get it next time as it was as (if not more?!) delicious than my tonkotsu! I can't wait for next time.. this place has held up for years and I'm extremely confident it will continue to do so for many more.

    A great spot to grab a bowl of steaming ramen on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Chicago. Note they…read moreclose sharply @3pm probably for a lunch break for the staff. The Alaskan cod sandwich was served on a bed of cabbage covered in a sweet teriyaki & brown mustard sauce with maybe a squeeze of kewpie sprinkled in between. The Berkshire pork eggrolls had microgreens & shaved radish on top of a crema type of sauce that balanced the heat of the kimchi nicely!! For the main attraction I ordered the spicy garlic ramen that was such a delightful mouth experience it really hit all the taste buds! The noodles were perfectly bouncy with the right amount of chew. The jellied egg was perfect and rounded the soup very well! The red chili threads enhanced the spicy miso broth just enough to slurp all the delicious goodness down! My husband ordered the Sapporo miso soup which had more of a creamy type of broth vs the spicy garlic. The noodles were also thinner than regular ramen & had a bouncy springy texture that just hit the spot! Since it was kinda chilly outside we also ordered hot green tea to accompany our spectacular ramen dishes. This place also offers delicious seasonal cocktails on the menu or hot sake if that's what you are hankering for. Definitely try this ramen joint if you are in the Logan square area your tummy will be so happy that you did!!

    Photos
    Spicy Roasted Garlic Miso Ramen
    Spicy Roasted Garlic Miso Ramen
    Inside
    Inside
    Tokyo Spicy Wings Small Plate

    See all

    Tokyo Spicy Wings Small Plate
    Kyuramen - Downtown Chicago

    Kyuramen - Downtown Chicago

    4.2
    (640 reviews)
    4.3 mi
    $$

    It's funny how this is my first time eating at Kyuramen, in downtown Chicago. When there's one…read moreabout 15 minutes away from where I live. Yet, Ive never been to that Iocation. The inside is perfect for the space and seating. We sat in the honeycomb and it fits about 2 adults, and probably smaller child. But it was cool to experience that. The service was quick and whenever we needed something, they were quick to respond. Regardless, this was amazing for dinner. Their Okonomiyaki is the best Ive ever eaten. And I've 100s of them from all over. Their ramen is a winner,doesnt matter what kind off the menu.. Their bao bun is also delectable. The Green Matcha puddng is the dessert I needed. I will definitely be back. Thank you!

    While in town on a business trip, I was looking for a quick, filling dinner close to my hotel and…read morecame across Kyuramen--a new addition to the River North restaurant scene with fantastic reviews. The staff was incredibly friendly, and the service was excellent throughout my visit. It's a great spot whether you're going with a group or dining solo, which made me feel right at home. My waitress recommended the Katsuobushi Pork Ramen for its rich, thick broth and unique, thick-cut pork belly. Her suggestion was completely spot on! The creamy broth and pork belly were delicious. If you're looking to step outside the usual ramen lineup, give the Katsuobushi Pork Ramen a try--I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I also ordered the Takoyaki, which was fantastic as well. Highly recommended!

    Photos
    Honeycomb pods
    Honeycomb pods
    Matcha Pudding W. Red Bean
    Matcha Pudding W. Red Bean
    Pork Bao Buns ( 2Pcs) 2Pcs

    See all

    Pork Bao Buns ( 2Pcs) 2Pcs
    High Five Ramen

    High Five Ramen

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    First time here we were seated immediately! It was Thursday night around 10ish I'll say. The staff…read morewas super friendly and helpful! Very welcoming and attentive, but then again it's a hidden little ramen spot where everyone's huddled up at a bar pretty much lol The food was absolutely delicious! I got their signature ramen and the pork just melted in your mouth. Noodles were 10/10, broth even better.! Will be coming back for sure. Hopefully we have a similar experience with waiting and dining

    I never leave negative reviews, but this experience was unacceptable. On 7/18/2026 at approximately…read more9:30pm-9-45pm My friend and I were waiting for our ramen, we watched one of the kitchen staff check the noodles by reaching into the bowl with his bare fingers, pulling out some noodles, and putting them directly into his mouth to taste them. Then wiped his fingers on a dirty rag and proceeded to finish making the bowls. A short time later, we were served that same bowl of ramen. Watching an employee use their bare hands and mouth on food that was then served to a customer was extremely concerning and completely unacceptable from a food safety and hygiene standpoint. It ruined the experience and made us lose confidence in the restaurant's food handling practices. I hope management takes this seriously, retrains their staff on proper food safety procedures, and ensures this doesn't happen to anyone else.

    Photos
    Entrance into the restaurant, located in the basement
    Entrance into the restaurant, located in the basement
    Ramen
    Ramen
    Orange slush

    See all

    Orange slush
    Monster Ramen

    Monster Ramen

    4.3
    (190 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    I was skeptical when I first heard the name Monster Ramen. All my previous personal experiences…read morehave always proven to me that restaurants with names that don't represent their culture in distinct ways are generally subpar. For example, I would usually never even think to step into a restaurant named Best China House, Sushi Bistro, or Mom's Korean Restaurant. (Apologies if your shops are named as such. These were meant to be generic examples) Oh, how times have changed. I would have never thought having a bowl of ramen at a Monster Ramen would give me this much pleasure. Part of it will (in fact, most of it) be on me and my general philosophy on fusion cuisine and outdated gemerational gap. There was definitely a time when avoiding agorementioned type of restaurants may have been deemed smart. But I feel the new generation of restaurant owners and chefs have up'd their games in not only at better food making, but also accepting of a bit more irony. Anyone who knows me knows how much I stay away from trying anything "fusion." It's kinda funny to myself how hypocritical it is that I would be totally okay in substituting an ingredient or two when I'm missing some when cooking, but when it comes to paying money to sit and eat that I would judge chefs by thier style of cooking. Yes, a big part of it is based on a large pool of personally gathered data, but I do acknowledge that I need to open myself up a bit more. Case in point. I was recommended MR by a fellow Yelper and I decided to give it a whirl. I happened to have a friend and his son with me, so I was able to do small tastings of 3 different ramen. And boy, was I pleasantly surprised. We collectively had bowls of shio, shoyu and miso specials. Plus, I ended up getting the Summer Special bowl to go for my wife. All of them had their individual charm to them but more importantly, each of them were made to perfection when it came to broth seasoning and noodle texture, which are THE two most important aspect of ramen, in my opionion. Not too salty nor bland soup. Perfectly dense noodles. I just loved all four! It wad when I tasted the yuzu in tgeir shio ramen that my wife would love it. Even though I brought her the spicy Sunmer version home, I still think it'll be worth bringing her and our daughter back when we get a chance to. Our server Dionne (I think) was most pleasant and helpful. The atmosphere of the restaurant was great, too. It helped that I came before the dinner rush, although, I can also see more lively vibe being nice as well. Will be back with the fam definitely!

    Was very excited to try this place since I've heard a lot of good things. We had a reservation so…read morewe were seated pretty quickly but since the restaurant was small, we were placed at a 4-person table where me and my friend had to sit next to 2 random strangers which I wasn't really a fan of. Our server was very nice and attentive though, we knew what we wanted so we placed our order and received our food quickly too. I enjoyed The Monster ramen that I got, the broth was super flavorful and perfectly creamy. I loved the beef jam and Wagyu chashu, Although, I will say the noodles themselves didn't really stand out. I enjoyed my ramen but I'm not sure I would get it again. I would definitely come back to try their other ramen though.

    Photos
    Seating
    Seating
    Miso Wagyu
    Miso Wagyu
    Menu as of 9.20.25

    See all

    Menu as of 9.20.25

    Akahoshi Ramen - ramen - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...