Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop

Wax Vinyl Bar and Ramen Shop Is a Superb Introduction to Chicago Music History | Eater Chicago

"A moody, low‑key music lounge modeled after a Japanese jazz kissa, this elegant, comfortable spot pairs audiophile vibes with food and drinks that overdeliver. Near Chicago and Ashland, we easily found street parking along Ashland, and the small sign means it’s easy to miss if you’re not looking. The back wall is a DJ shrine with a library of vinyl, and the regular DJ rotation has turned it into a celebrity hangout (we’re talking Chuck D, J. Ivy, Anderson .Paak, and Morgan Freeman). On Fridays and Saturdays the energy ramps up with house and ’90s hip hop; we visited on a chill Sunday and Lee Farmer spun deep soul, funk, and R&B cuts (Heatwave, George Benson, Toto, Zapp), with flatscreens available if you need to catch the game. The menu—surprisingly varied with vegan and gluten‑free options—is split into an A Side (dinner 6–11 p.m.) and B Side (late‑night bites after 11) and is proudly “Japanese‑adjacent.” Our server described the ramen as a marriage of ramen and pho with rice noodles and herbaceous broth; I ordered the spicy red miso ramen with shrimp and it was delicious, satisfying, and abundant. The standout was the Tokyo shrimp—four large shrimp over coconut rice with red cabbage slaw—spicy, sweet, crisp, and tender. I’m already eyeing a return for the collard greens “soul rolls” (egg rolls stuffed with collards and kale braised in coconut milk) with citrus coconut curry dipping sauce and togarashi fries, plus tempura or fried rice (ask for shrimp and mushroom together). The cocktail list is thoughtful: I was told #6 (bourbon, lime, simple, allspice dram) and #8 (a mezcal martini with St. Germain, sweet vermouth, lemon twist) are the most popular; I loved #3—gin, passionfruit and lemon, velvet falernum, and orgeat—with refreshing, warm, nutty, tropical sweetness. Aiming to be a West Town staple, it’s a fun night out and an approachable intro to Chicago’s DJ world, and I’m already planning my next visit: Tokyo shrimp, cocktail #3, and the watermelon poke the couple next to us ordered that looked amazing. Open 6 p.m.–2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday and 6 p.m.–midnight Sunday." - Patrice Yursik