A perfect, quiet spot hidden in a parking lot. As someone who is notoriously indecisive, finding…read moreout I could get Edamame, Gyoza, AND karaage for $4 was a steal. The potato croquettes were fresh and crisp and perfect for picky eaters. The beef udon was great too! Usually this is where I'd try and make some small bit or joke, but after I finished all I could think was "Man...that was good." So I guess you could say it left me speechless and pleasantly surprised. (shout out to our waitress who was super kind and indulged in conversing about BTS for five minutes)

We recently stopped in to Nomu on our first night of a family vacation, and had a lovely supper!…read more The restaurant was conveniently located in Glenview, and had plenty of parking outside, even though we were there during primetime on a Saturday night! The dining room is really pretty, and well-appointed! We were seated right away by friendly staff. Looking around, this appeared to be a very family-friendly establishment, as that was, by far, the most prominent type of connoisseur in the house on this evening! Our waitress was wonderful, and helped us with some recommendations upon us letting her know it was our first visit! She checked in with us frequently, and made sure drinks were always refilled promptly! We had a bunch of different items, and all were very good! We tried sushi rolls, beef noodles, and ramen. I'd have to say that the beef noodles probably were the best item for me! Prices were just about as you'd expect: not too high, but not super cheap either...but wholly justified by the great food and lovely service and experience! Food = 4/5 Facility = 4/5 Service = 4/5 Ambiance = 4/5 Value = 3/5

I will say I have been to this restaurant many times in the past and the food and service was…read moregreat. I went back a couple days ago and everything has changed. The menu is much less, the food portions are less, and the container the food comes in is plastic and made for to go orders even though we dined in. The service was also not very friendly and when our waitress brought our food, she didn't even smile or say anything. She just plopped down the food and walked off. This used to be my favorite restaurant but I don't think I'm coming back.

This has been on my list for awhile and one day I decided to try. It's located in a strip mall with…read morelots of parking. When you go inside, they have a sufficient amount of tables to sit at, but it wasn't very busy on a Saturday night. You order at the register and he brings it out to you. You'll have to be patient, they don't have a lot of staff. We ordered tako karaage (fried octopus), croquettes, Taiwan style tonkotsu ramen with 2 pieces of chashu, and the deluxe bento with butashoga (ginger pork). I had a bite of the pork and it was delicious. Ginger was not overpowering. Tender meat. Prices were very affordable and cheap. Service was great and he brought out our food hot and freshly made. I would definitely come back and try other items. -tako karaage 5 - it had a nice little chew and was not overly fried. Great taste. -croquettes 5 - I loved these. When you bite into them, they're soft. Flavorful, savory filling inside. I should have gotten more of these. -Taiwan style tonkotsu ramen 5 - noodles were chewy. Bountiful amount of ground pork. The two chashu pieces were tender and easy to break apart. Broth was not heavy, it was just right.

Yo this place smacks, I brought my parrot, Lucky, with me and he really enjoyed the Hokkaido broth…read more I had to bring some home for the rest of the birds

Hands down the best ramen in the Chicago area. Broth is creamy and flavorful, the chicken katsu is…read moreperfectly battered. The ground pork is a great alternative to slices of pork belly (which I don't like). The veggie ramen is equally flavorful. Absolutely addicting. A must try!

This was my first time trying this dish, and it was delicious and unusual, but I think I liked it.read more

Ramen House Shinchan is a cute Mom and Pop ramen restaurant. My friends and I went there on a…read moreSaturday morning right when it open. We were able to get seated immediately for a group of 5. FOOD: I ordered the spicy miso spicy ramen. It's a miso based pork broth with braised pork, soft-boiled egg , scallions, and lots of vegetables. I thought the ramen was pretty good. The broth was flavorful but not overly salty. I hate when the broth is salty. The braised pork and soft-boiled egg was cooked to perfection. We also got the misokatsu as a side dish. The katsu was fantastic. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I didn't care for the miso dipping sauce but that's fine. Overall Ramen House Shinchan is a great Ramen restaurant. It's not my favorite but I'll definitely be back.

Wow. I found myself…read morein Arlington Heights, and my buddy suggested this place due to an upcoming trip to Japan in 2027. It's a Japanese market that features an amazing food court (and this is where I spent all my time.) I don't recall the name of the stall I purchased from. But I can tell you it was quick, not expensive and very filling. I had a bowl with beef and noodles; for dessert I hit the matcha dessert stall for some matcha and vanilla ice cream. The whole place meal me feel like I was dining outside the state of Illinois. The service from everyone in the market was very friendly and they even had a sake/soju tasting by the front door (and the vendors allowed you try was much as you wanted.) I highly recommend this spot

If you love Japanese culture, food, and want to visit a neat place and kind of feel like you are…read morevisiting Japan, you need to visit Mitsuwa! Not only is there a food court of different Japanese restaurants to try, there is also a grocery store, bakery, bookstore, and stores that sell ice cream, traditional desserts, as well as crepes and boba tea! My family and I visit here often every year and we like to try the different foods and desserts and then check out the bookstore and grocery store afterwards. My favorite foods so far have been the beef udon soup with a soft boiled egg, shrimp and vegetable tempura, miso soup, and Japanese curry with rice, beef, and vegetables (carrots and potatoes). My son always gets the chicken and beef on a stick and my daughter usually gets a garlic pork dish with white rice but I forget what this dish is called. My husband also enjoys the beef udon soup like I do. I swear that whenever my food is finished, I am legit sad! The crepes are good, there is a variety of boba teas to try, and the ice creams are delicious! Lychee has been my favorite so far but I have yet to try the matcha, red bean, among others! You can get a small sample of different ice cream flavors too, which is nice! I sampled the red bean flavor so that will be my go-to next time! At the grocery store, I love buying Happy Turn snacks which are like a sweet and salty crunchy cracker (maybe it is made of rice?) that are individually wrapped and mochi from the fridge area. Finally, I usually like to buy mochi from the store right next to the bookstore. The mochi from this location is the best! I usually buy multiple flavors to take home and eat at a later time! You must try these! My kids love checking out the bookstore and they usually pick something out for me to buy for them - whether it is a book, keychain, etc. There are magazines, anime figurines, soft plushy toys, pens, and stationary, etc. It is interesting to browse through the things they have there! You cannot bring food or drinks inside but they do have a shelf at the entrance where you can place your drink there if you like. The first time visiting here, the majority of the customers were Asians and as the years have passed, there is now more of an influx of non-Asians who simply love the food and appreciate the culture, which I think is neat! The first time I visited here was with my college roommate who was from Japan and she recommended this place back in 2009 perhaps? I have been visiting ever since with my family. We travel more than an hour from Wisconsin to come here but it is 100% worth the drive! Also, the cashiers and workers there are quick, efficient, and friendly. I have even been able to practice a few of the Japanese phrases I have learned with a couple of the cashiers too (I asked if they spoke Japanese first)! Overall, Mitsuwa is my happy place! Great food, interesting finds, different culture, and everyone there looks excited to be there. This is as close to visiting Japan as I can get until I keep learning more Japanese and save up enough money to go visit Japan someday! This is my dream! In the meantime, we will keep visiting Mitsuwa!

Love love Ramen USA…read more The food is awesome. Great portions. I've gone back several times because the menu is extensive and I've not tried everything yet. The staff is friendly. Order first then sit down. The complimentary salad bar is excellent. Bad the beef curry myself, and added an discounted eel rice. My kids wanted some sushi, and udon noodles also added a salmon roll. Katsu don was a great portion. We ate really well. Enjoyed the casual atmosphere. The restaurant makes bento boxes for Mitsuwa I believe so the food that I enjoy ther originates from this kitchen. It's always the choice for me when I'm in the neighborhood. Quality food and good value, good portions.

The food was good and the service was friendly. Ambiance is like that of a fast food place. If you…read moreare looking for good value, this is the place.

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

Found out about this ramen restaurant in Hoffman Estates. It certainly is a very popular place…read morebecause it gets crowded as fuck. Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai is one of several around the country it seems. Authentic experience where it's communal. They sit you at long tables. Cramped inside and that's even when it's not busy. It's recommended to get reservations for groups. There might be a long wait. Better for only a couple people to go. They have the menu to look at while you're waiting. It's about $16 for a bowl. There's a few plant based options among the meaty stuff. Made it easier to choose. We got the Vegan Miso Ramen. Big ass bowls. This has carrots, fried onions, Napa cabbage, sesame oil, and spinach. It was a pretty big amount. There was a lot in there besides even the ramen. It was filling. There's other options like rice and salads. Got to get reservations if you're bringing groups. It's only got a few tables. They close between lunch and dinner on every weekday.

Unique Ramen cafeteria style restaurant. Truly as the name implies, it's a library style wall of…read moreany kind of ramen you you could imagine. Make your selections, bring to the counter to pay & for instructions on how to prepare. There's a small bar of veggie add-ins. Many different drinks & snacks to pick from.

Discovered this place by chance and ive always wanted to try something like this. I was overwhelmed…read morewith the Ramen selection snd would probably have to go back again n qgqin to try most of it. They do have free toppings like green onion, bean sprout, corn and onions. The place is very spacious. Mostly a self serve except when you check out but service was still good. I want to try the kimbab and teokboki when i go back and they also have a few selections of bubble tea. Will definifely be back. Happy eating!