RAMEN-SAN

"Fueled by solid ramen, a long drink list, and omnipresent hip-hop soundtrack, Ramen San is a laid-back alternative to the upscale, menus-as-big-as-your-torso, River North spots. Their ramen comes with thin wavy noodles and a variety of flavorful broths, from the vegetable ramen with mushrooms and tofu, to the chicken shio with buttery corn, to our favorite: creamy tonkotsu with fatty chashu and a gooey soft-boiled egg. The energetic atmosphere and large dining area works for a meal with friends, or end-of-the-week drinks with your coworkers. " - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"With its long drink list and “Now That’s What I Call Hip-Hop” playlist, River North’s Ramen San feels less like a ramen shop and more like an energetic bar where you don’t have to ask yourself "Why is the floor sticky?” And unlike High Five, where you might feel pressured to finish your bowl quickly to release those suffering in waitlist purgatory, Ramen San has lots of seating, making it a fun place to hang. Their ramen menu is short, but bowls like the kimchi and fried chicken, or the sumo with tonkotsu, dumplings, chashu, spicy crushed egg, and buttered corn, are worth checking out. They also have a great lunch special where $17 magically transforms into a bowl of ramen, a small rice plate, and a side salad." - john ringor

"Lettuce Entertain You’s dedicated noodle shop touts both traditional and unorthodox varieties. Slurp tonkotsu and shio broths, or go with the kimchi and fried chicken ramen. Ramen-San offers indoor and outdoor seating, and takeout or delivery via third-party services. Fans can find additional outposts in Fulton Market, Streeterville, and Lincoln Park," - Naomi Waxman

"If you’ve ever opened up a delivery bag to find that everything is smashed and/or leaking, you know that packaging really matters. And that’s especially true when it comes to ramen. Ramen-san might not have the absolute best ramen in Chicago, but the noodle soups here are perfectly satisfying, and this place is really, really good at delivery. Everything is carefully packed separately, so you can put it all together yourself when it arrives." - adrian kane

"Fried Chicken Kimchi Ramen We can’t front on the deliciousness factor of this bowl. The sweet corn, sour kimchi, and miso broth pair perfectly with the little pieces of deep-fried chicken thigh. We highly recommend." - adrian kane, courtney sprewer