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    Kajiken

    4.4 (140 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:30 pm

    Order Kajiken Takeout or Delivery

    Kajiken Photos

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    KAJIKEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Kajiken

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    Linda C.

    Came here with some friends on a Saturday lunch time. It wasn't packed but after we sat down, it started to get packed inside. We all decided to get dry noodles instead of ramen. The service was good and quick. The food was decent. The price for the portion was good.

    Thu T.

    Located in a busy shopping center in Chinatown. Seating is pretty limited, so keep that in mind if you're coming with a bigger group. I ordered the noodle dish. The noodles are thicker than normal broth ramen, bouncy, and flavorful, though I'd say the seasoning leans a little on the salty side. It comes with two pieces of char siu and some bamboo shoots, simple but satisfying. I do want to note something important regarding allergies. I have an egg allergy, so I always double-check before ordering. Initially, I was told the noodles contained eggs, so I decided to switch to the vegan option. However, the server then mentioned that the vegan option also contained eggs, which honestly threw me off. When I questioned it, I was told it's labeled vegan but still has eggs, which was pretty shocking. I ended up ordering a rice bowl instead. Later on, the server came back and clarified that the noodles actually do not contain eggs. In the end, everything turned out fine, but I strongly recommend clearer communication from staff to avoid confusion, especially when it comes to dietary restrictions. Selling something as vegan when it isn't (or giving mixed information) could be a serious issue.

    Tori
    Rachel P.

    We were able to get a table quickly and the service was prompt. The options are endless but we all chose to go with a menu item, rather than crafting our own. The Tori was great, the Eby was fresh - the other two had more broth and were very flavorful! The spicy edamame was good, too.

    The original
    Karen T.

    This is a ramen shop located in Chinatown. It is known for its dry ramen and some of its other locations (but not this one) have been Michelin recognized. I didn't have time to dine in so I got an order of "the original" to go and ate it right after I picked it up. All of the toppings were packed in a top tray with the ramen in the bowl. The portion is pretty small. Perhaps it is because I got it to go but it kind of seems like regular ramen to me. The chasu was good and it was still flavorful for not having broth. As I'm writing this review, I noticed the menu said to mix everything and to add vinegar and chili oil. I didn't do that so perhaps that would have made a difference. Could be an interesting spot for dry ramen. Not sure id go out of the way to come here but I'd like to try dining in next time.

    Menu
    David L.

    I really like this place. This is the second Nippon soba place I've been too. And this one the taste is good, the condiments and various included assortment is quite a good pairing, and the prices don't seem to gouge out your money! The waifu loves the sukiyaki soba, the ramen also tasted good, and the original is good too. I made the mistake of adding additional beef slices for extra cash hoping that I'd get good wagyu. It didn't taste that good and it also isn't worth the extra $$. Maybe the rare beef soba would come with sauce. But all the other food taste good. The place is vibing. It's very bright, awesome Japanese booths, and kind of upscale. How many paper lanterns do you spot? Staff was nice and friendly. Would definitely go back. Solid A.

    Menu
    Tim M.

    Good ramen, good broth. Chicken karaage uses dark meat which was fried very well. You have seasonings & sauces to choose from such as garlic seasoning, sesame oil, sesame seeds and white pepper too. Would recommend!

    The original
    Clarissa C.

    Cute place in Chicago Chinatown with really pretty Japanese-inspired decor. We were seated immediately on a Sunday lunch, though the seats filled up quickly afterwards. I got the Original, which had a very nice umami and bonito flavor to it. Definitely don't make the mistake of microwaving this if you have leftovers... it's definitely much better served mostly chilled! Our server was very efficient and friendly, and we were able to split checks even with a table of 8! Update: got the homura, a bit spicy but super flavorful!!

    Takoyaki
    Christina H.

    I want to preface this by saying I'm not the biggest ramen fan but I've never had dry ramen before so I wanted to give this a chance. The noodles had a good chew to them and I liked the flavor, but i wish there was a bit sour flavor to cut through the rich flavors and starch from the noodles. I think next time I'd get a bowl with bigger toppings because the minced pork disappeared and I couldn't really taste it. Takoyaki was ok- I'd prefer mine with more mayo and sauce but it came out piping hot. Service was great, prices are reasonable and the interior is gorgeous. If you like ramen, I think you'd love it here.

    Siew Y.

    I ordered the traditional one and the curry one. Both orders seemed a bit salty, likely due to the sauce. Presentation of the dishes looked good. Service was good as well. I'm not sure I would be excited to return.

    I've had Kajiken before at different locations and the quality at this branch was drastically lower. As a big abura soba fan, I was beyond excited for this place but was let down when I saw the food here. For starters, the noodles along with all of the toppings were lukewarm if not cold. There weren't nearly enough sauce for the bowl itself and the portion size was lacking compared to other Kajiken locations. Additionally, I observed our server wipe his nose area as he sniffled using his gloved hand, the same gloved hand he used to grab the inside rim of our dry ramen bowls with. Seeing those same fingers touch the inside of my food bowl was definitely off putting to say the least. Not sure if this was a one off experience seeing as all the reviews tend to be more positive, but I will not be returning to this Kajiken location because of the aforementioned reasons.

    Nori, Sukiyaki, and Ramen
    Cathy I.

    Kajiken is an absolute favorite between my friends and I. We go to Chinatown every so often just for Kajiken. Their soupless ramen is so much better than ramen in my opinion. They have a sauce filled with lots of flavor that makes it better tasting than your typical ramen. I always get their chicken style soupless ramen. The chicken is always so tender and NEVER overcooked!! The presentation of the food is wonderful. Servers are very attentive and helpful. The food also comes out very quick. The interior of the restaurant gives a cute Japan / Japandi vibe. It is a bit small in terms of seating, but there's always space when I go! Wait times might be a little longer because of this though!!

    Zhiwei T.

    I tried the Keema Curry Abura Soba at Kajiken in Chicago's new Chinatown. And I genuinely don't think I've ever eaten noodles with this level of chew and bounce. Absolutely al dente, in the best, most slurp-worthy way. The dish features keema curry minced pork, a poached egg, onions, and scallions layered over thick, firm noodles and a savory oil-based sauce. You mix it all together and then dive in--and wow. The flavor is deep, meaty, a little spicy, and totally addicting. The egg blends everything into a creamy coating, and the texture of the noodles makes it a joy to eat. You'll be slurping the whole way through. Kajiken specializes in Abura Soba, a type of Japanese dry noodle that's saucy but brothless, and they do it incredibly well. The vibe inside is clean and modern, service is quick, and the staff are friendly. I noticed a wide selection of toppings too, from kimchi to roasted beef, if you want to build your own bowl. Pro tip: Mix thoroughly before you start eating, and don't be shy about slurping--it's part of the experience. If you're looking for something different from ramen or pho, this is it. I'll definitely be back to try the Sukiyaki or Roasted Beef next.

    Homura
    ashley d.

    Got the Homura. SO GOOD. A little spicy but it was the perfect amount. Noodles were amazing, good portion, good price. Might be some of the best noodles I've ever had. Would recommend

    Tonkotsu

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    7 months ago

    abura soba (the og) yummy, karage decent. very busy but attentive service. dining area was cute.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Kajiken

    As of 7/12/25, do they offer validate parking at the Chinatown Lot?

    Yes they do. They have a new parking system in chinatown parking lot now. They scan your license plate.

    Is this a BYOB?

    No its not

    Does it offer parking validation?

    Yes, although it didn't work when we inserted the ticket in the machine, so maybe not!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The service here was absolutely incredible the interior looks super detailed as well and it was…read moreoverall a great vibe. The food was some of the best yet unique type of food I've ever had. Yakisoba and Osaka style okonomiyaki was probably the best thing (besides deep dish) that I've had in Chicago while visiting. 100% recommend here please come!

    Wow! My friends took us to this restaurant while we were visiting Chicago, and it was amazing. We…read morehad a reservation and did show up about 15 minutes late. The hostess said we could still be seated but another reservation was coming an hour later. I had never had okonomiyaki before, but I got to try three different kinds plus some yakisoba. We ordered four dishes and shared them among the four of us. We got the pork belly yakisoba, pork osaka style okonomiyaki, shrimp osaka style okonomiyaki, and the mushroom and yuba Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. My favorite dishes were probably the pork ones, but I really liked trying all of them! When our waiter asked if we wanted dessert, we said how the hostess told us we would need to leave by a certain time for the next reservation. However, he said we could order dessert anyway. I thought it was weird the hostess was being so finicky about the time, since usually 15 min late is within reason. We did get the red panda. It's mostly ice and a little ice cream, but it was very good and so cute! I would definitely come here again! It is a bit loud if you have anyone in your party who has trouble hearing. You are also quite close to other people in the restaurant.

    Kumiko - Mushrooms

    Kumiko

    (272 reviews)

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    West Loop, Near West Side

    A lovely room. Welcoming and informed staff. Delicious and thoughtful food and beverage, both…read morespirited and spirit-free.

    I loveee Kumiko. They were just announced N. 11 on the 2026 North America's 50 Best Bars list (one…read morespot down from last year). I've lost track but this is maybe my 5th or 6th time here. I've been here for food, desserts, drinks, their basement whiskey bar, everything... and I'll keep coming back whenever I'm in the neighborhood. This time, we came to check out their spring menu because I remembered them having a sakura themed menu last year. We also intended on checking out their new desserts but completely forgot lol, so now I'll need to come back again. Off their seasonal menu, we ordered Pastel and Lights in the Clouds. The Pastel was very light and a little tart. I loved the pretty pink color too. I didn't get it this time, but my absolute favorite cocktail from here is the Cloud Hopper off their regular menu (starting to crave it rn as I'm writing this, it's so good). When you're seated, you're given a warm towel to wipe your hands. The staff is also super knowledgeable, and the quality of the food and drinks is amazing. It's been awhile since I've eaten here so I can't speak on the food, but based off my memory the karaagé is really good and seems to be popular. I need to come back to try more of their food. Reservations are recommended if you want a table or to go to their whiskey bar in the basement, but we've had plenty of luck coming in right when they open and being able to sit at the bar. This time, we came in about an hour after opening and had to stand, which was fine because we just wanted a drink.

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    (2.3k reviews)

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    Logan Square

    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!!

    Surprsing no one, I love Ramen Wasabi, which is why I keep coming back! Before heading to Wrigley…read moreto see a friend's band play, stopped into RW for dinner, and although the wait was an hour just due to the sheer volume of people who wanted something warm on a very cold and snowy night, the wait was worth it. I always go basic tonkotsu with warm sake, and it always hits. HOWEVER, this time I also did the espresso cheesecake, which is this tiny, little, bite-sized thing, which I loved. Ol' reliable

    Miru

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    $$$

    The Loop

    Ive been here more times than I can count and its easily one of my favorite sushi spots in the city…read moreI was just there last Friday with a friend and once again everything was perfect from the attentive seamless service to how beautifully each dish was presented Every bite was delicious I also love the modern design of the restaurant and the incredible views of Chicago it really adds to the whole experience The space has an intimate relaxed vibe that keeps me coming back Definitely one of those places I will be visiting again very soon

    3 of us back for a marvelous dinner with great views, beautiful decor, great service, and of course…read moregreat food. The quality of the food is very noticeable. We wanted to have some sake and asked for help. Their sommelier was very helpful and recommended the Snow Tiger Yuki Tora which is unfiltered and looks like milk, but it went beautifully with our food. We started with Edamame which had a perfect char. The grilled Avocado was a pleasant surprise with the char flavor and great spicy sauce. You get a spoon to scoop out the avocado and it's sliced so it works with chop sticks. By the way everything is great for sharing which gives everyone a chance to try the wonderful menu. Then we attacked the main menu. The Wagyu Nigiri, the must have Bluefin Tuna Crispy Rice, Crispy Spring Rolls and I drank the juice with the Hamachi and Lemon. Now it's time to figure what's next! spicy Tuna roll, triple tuna roll, the incredible Wild Mushroom sizzling rice bowl and it is sizzling! We're nearing the end! The Unagi and the Black Cod couldn't have been any better. It melted in our mouths. Think we're finished, we saved room for dessert! The Miru-Ishi and Black Sesame Mochi. We're finished! Maria was a great server and was very attentive!

    Kajiken - japanese - Updated May 2026

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