I was disappointed with the food. First the name difference (Ramen USA) on Yelp compared to their…read morewebsite and Google maps kinda threw us off. There's also discrepancy in their menu and what they actually have available as it seems they also display items for the the cafe next door. We happened to arrive during happy hour so some menu items were discounted. They also have a complimentary salad bar. We ordered chicken karaage, potstickers, salmon avocado sushi, and I had the katsu sandwich. All the food items we ordered came separately over a span of 20+ minutes, with the sandwich arriving last and cold. Not only did the sandwich come on a cold sourdough bread, the meat also had an unusual texture and so I ended up throwing it out. The other items we ordered were lacking in flavor. The chicken karaage was prepared well but it had no flavor. I'm regret spending money at this establishment.

If customers are waiting before the restaurant opens, you know that you are in for a treat, right?…read moreI mean, this was our first time to Uma Japan Eatery (didn't know it was formerly Ramen USA) and we were a little confused when we arrived because there was signage for Uma, Ramen USA, and M Cafe. So we got out of the car and saw someone pull up in front of the restaurant and jump out at 11:59. As soon as the door was unlocked at 12pm, this customer went in, and a few others after them. This is a small joint, and it was already half full by the time we ordered, then sat down (they told us the table at which to sit). I didn't know, but asked, and found out that a salad bar and miso soup are also included. The salad bar was pretty decent, with fresh vegs. They even had French fried onions (my guilty pleasure) and a very good House dressing (ginger vinaigrette). The portions are enormous. The couple next to us got ramen, and it was practically overflowing. We ordered takoyaki (too much food, we didn't need). I had the Pork Katsu bowl and my companion had a Katsu curry. I wished I had ordered the curry -- it looked dark and rich and thick like pudding (not like a boxed curry). They also gave us a bonus piece of chicken karaage which was so large and crispy. I think I'll get the curry next time, or the ramen. We originally came because we were going to get a karaage sando, but get the curry.

Kurumaya is a place that I have visited maybe three times before, several years ago. It was a…read morepopular, well reviewed place back then, just as it is now. But it just kind of slipped out of my consideration for no particular reason. But today I was driving near there, headed for somewhere else, and it hit me - Bento box sounds good today. And so it goes.. Parking in this small strip mall is usually pretty easy. It is a popular choice for lunch for many people that work in this business area of Elk Grove. I think that is because in addition to the good food, the service is not only friendly, but also very efficient. That allows you to have a nice sit-down lunch and still get back to work in time. They don't rush you, but you won't have to wait long for both the food and the check. Today I did have my delicious bento box, which as others have agreed, is a great deal for lunch. But I also splurged for a "Rock' n Rol" sushi roll, which was quite tasty. My waitress was wonderful - friendly and efficient as usual. But she didn't rush me personally. She even asked me if I wanted tea. In summary, it's an excellent choice for lunch. Good food, affordable, kind people, and a nice change from a fast food drive-thru.

Ask for Harumi - She is the most wonderful, nicest server ever and knows the best recommendations…read moreon the menu! If you're looking for the most authentic Japanese food outside the city, seems like this and a couple other places are all in the Schaumburg/Elk Grove Village area. Highly recommend hitting their lunch menu if you can because the bento box values are so worth it for authentic Japanese food/sushi. We got there at opening for dinner on a Saturday and got there just before dinner rush! This place is such a hidden authentic gem - you can tell from the decor to the choice of seating design to the actual menu and way they cook the RICE and other dishes. They serve the same grain for sushi as they do regular rice (Tamaki gold). Quality is not skipped here. We got the agedashi tofu (must get appetizer, as it's hard to really every achieve at home cooking), house special curry katsu, the beef kurumaya gozen (bento box) (which has incredible tempura, juicy soft beef), and assorted sashimi platter (I forget the name). All come highly recommended and were well worth the price point. I am just a bit sensitive about the freshness of the sushi, but I think this is probably as fresh as you can possibly get with generous cuts outside the city. Everything down to the miso soup too was delicious - best place to take your friends/family/coworkers for an authentic Japanese meal. Parking lot available out front. Recommend also stopping by Tensuke market nearby after!

Definitely worth coming here in addition to Mitsuwa - they are physically a smaller store, but…read morerecently reopened to a location next to the old one due to renovations and it is just as clean, variety just as fresh, and sales are just as good. I prefer going here for the fresh cuts of various sushi fish and other seafood as they import from way more places than other Japanese grocery stores and at fair prices. The snack selection here is also unique and they have a great frozen food selection. The food court is on my list for next time as I hear it's also incredibly fresh and the staff are really knowledgable about the sushi and other menu items they serve and it's always busy on the weekends from what I used to see. Parking lot available.

I rarely write reviews recently however I'm so disappointed with their food. They got my order…read morewrong the first time, too. This isn't my first time. I've been to their old location, I was here a couple of weeks ago when they re-opened (almost everything was sold out in their menu for a Sunday lunch), and back recently. I ordered their Tonkatsu and it looked really sad. It didn't look too crispy on the outside and also looked so pale. It wasn't just mine. I noticed it right away when I was in line when they have peoples orders out, but I took a shot cause it was not that busy anymore. Plus! They'll only give you a small packet of tonkatsu sauce. I do get it's like a fast food concept but not good quality. Also, their white rice is a combination of half cooked, cooked and mushy. On a good note, their takoyaki is really good!

I've now been here twice in less than two weeks and the first review was for my first visit for…read morelunch. This is now my updated review as a purposefully came back for a dinner on a Friday night. You should try to make a reservation because on this particular Friday night they actually were full. And you can do it online through their website. The dinner menu is significantly different from the lunch menu. It is much more expensive with a lot more choices, especially as it pertains to the sushi and the cold as well as hot appetizers. You also have the option during dinner to order a sushi tray whether it is a Nigiri sashimi or maki tray. And if you sit there and do the math if you order the trays, they're a lot cheaper, but you have to like what the options are on the tray. You can tell by the pictures we ordered quite a bit of food as usual for dinner. Everything was so super fresh and delicious as usual. Everything came out with really good timing as well. We had a completely different waitress and a team of of servers this evening and all of them were absolutely friendly and helpful and attentive. This is got to be my new go to for authentic Japanese. You can also tell because while we were there the patrons coming in were Japanese in majority. I cannot say enough about this place being amazing with incredible quality fish, and a great menu.

Everything we ordered was delicious, but unfortunately the chicken gizzard skewers were 100%…read morespoiled (they had a wet dog smell to them). After communicating this to staff, they passed it around and confirmed it was indeed spoiled and took it off our bill, which we appreciated. They can get busy and with not too many hands on deck, food and service can come out slowly. It's understandable to a degree, but it does feel like servers rarely come around (through the whole dining experience, our water was never refilled once or even asked to be) and overall service seems subpar at best. Ambiance is great. They definitely have that Japanese izakaya vibe. Go to Sankyu if you have time on your hands and order menu items that are likely ordered often and you will have a 4-5 star experience.

My gfs had introduced me to Sozai Banzai last year, and since then, I've taken my family and…read morefriends here several times. We've always had delicious food and friendly service. We usually get a bento, udon, katsu or their special of the day. My son likes their muffins too :). Everything tastes made with care. Highly recommend.

Come here for lunch on and off. Usually grilled fish are good. Hamburg is also delicious. So as…read moreside dishes. Like to try all kinds of things in the menu.

Tekka Sushi is a real hidden gem in a strip mall. It looks like a small place but it's a decent…read moresize with a larger banquet area in the rear. This ended up being one of the best quality sushi places in the area. All the fish was top drawer quality and everything tasted spot on. The only things I think could be improved upon would be the wasabi as it was a bit flat and needed to be stronger as well as the calamari as it was a bit stringy. Everything had an excellent taste and was presented very nicely. Service was excellent and we would consider this a "go to" place if you want excellent quality sushi with an abundance of variety!

Nice place, music is soft enough to not interfere but also to block out other tables…read more The Ahi Tuna was nice. The nigiri was good, fresh fish. We got 3 rolls. Snow Lady was great. Twins were even better than I expected. Torched Scallop was different but so good. I'll return.

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

This was hands down some of the best ramen I've ever had. The broth was packed with flavor and…read moretasted like it had been simmering forever in the best way. Every bite was comforting and rich without being too heavy. The edamame was surprisingly amazing, perfectly seasoned and super fresh. And the shrimp tempura? Chef's kiss. Soft on the inside, light and crunchy on the outside, and not greasy at all. Everything we ordered hit. You can tell a lot of care goes into the food here. Definitely coming back next time I'm craving ramen.

Honestly, Santouka has maintained consistent quality and affordable prices for an impressive amount…read moreof time. I've been coming here for over a decade, and it's just as good as ever. I like salt ramen the best. The broth is really, really good. The noodles have a nice chew. The egg is whatever - you have to pay $2 extra for it and it's hardboiled unlike most ramen eggs. Food court is packed on most days. Service is fast and efficient.

A long time staple within Mitsuwa, Ramen Santouka offers a very solid and consistent ramen meal for…read morethose in the area. In my latest visit, I ordered their spicy char siu miso ramen + pork belly rice bowl combo. In hindsight, I probably didn't need to get pork both in my ramen and in my rice bowl, but it did make for a hearty meal. Even though it's probably the same pork, the pork within the ramen felt much more flavorful than the pork in the rice bowl, possibly because it was sitting in the broth. The ramen broth was flavorful and the noodle type and springy texture is reminiscent of that which I had while visiting Japan. Overall - while the char siu ramen has and will continue to be one of my go-tos, I don't know if I would go with the pork rice bowl again as part of the combo meal.

It was our first time trying this stall at the Mitsuwa Food Court in Arlington Heights. Good news…read moreis that I now have a new favorite that can alternate with, and is at par with, our all-time favorite bowl of ramen from the Santouka stall! I ordered the Special Tempura Plate and it was Oishi! Yes, with an upper case O! Absolutely delicious! The service was friendly and fast, considering that they cook each plate or bowl to order. It was so good and so fresh that we decided to order two more pieces of the white fish tempura to add to our meal and 4 more to go for my mom who loves fish. The very friendly guy at the counter advised that I use an air flyer to warm the fish up at home. The Food Court is of course not a place you go to when you look for ambiance, but it definitely has the Japanese vibe with the variety of Japanese food that you can select from. It is also a plus that it is in Mitsuwa Market so that you can shop after getting your belly full of deliciousness!

Absolutely delighted for this newer spot in the food court! I had the combo with hot soba and a…read moreveggie tempura rice bowl. My husband had a combo with cold soba and tempura. The noodles were cooked perfectly and I really liked my soup. The tempura was nice and crispy, but I would have liked some sauce for it that wasn't spicy chili. Though, the chili oil was good - hot but not too much so. My husband was also happy with his meal, and I did steal some of his tempura sauce. We didn't have to wait too long even though everything was made to order. The staff were friendly and patient with my indecisive self. I'm definitely going to be back, hopefully sooner rather than later. While I do prefer udon, soba is a great change of pace and I'm happy for the added variety of food offerings!

Reliably really good. Come hungry and you will not be disappointed. If it's a holiday, make sure to…read moremake a reservation. Spicy tuna can be done with chili oil vs spicy mayo if you can't do eggs. Spicy tuna with Chili Oil is better in my opinion. Grilled with salt options for chicken and fish if you can't do soy or wheat like me. Decent selection and rotating specials. If the Toro Taku Maki is on the Specials Menu and in stock try it. It is so good Service is attentive and overall very good. No complaints. If you like Japanese food I highly recommend this place.

4.5/5 - Came on a Saturday evening with a reservation in the fancy room where you take off your…read moreshoes, clean interior! Our waiter was helpful in answering all of our questions about the extensive menu. Tako Wasabi: A small bowl about the size of a pointer finger, but packed with lots of small, strong pieces of octopus; chewy, savory, with a sharp and fragrant wasabi kick. Leaned on the salty side, but very unique! Beef Tataki: The yuzu sauce, very sour, pairs well with the raw steak, with a side of fresh seaweed Japanese Spaghetti (full): Al dente, chewy pasta with a tangy flavor and a creamy aftertaste, with a side of parmesan and tabasco to add if you want; shareable between 2-3 people Buta Nira Moyashi: Slightly crisped pork with a good balance of lean and fat, served on a generous bed of chives and crunchy soybeans, comes with chili pepper to add if you want; leans a bit on the salty side Curry: A huge bowl! Celebrated a birthday, they gave our birthday person a small free matcha japanese cheesecake with a candle. :)