RAMEN-SAN Deluxe

If you’re a late 80s-90s baby you will appreciate the nostalgic music. Tanya was an excellent server! A side of sesame chili oil brought the flavors to perfection. Didn’t love the creme brûlée but it was pretty good for a light sweet treat.

The overall experience was decent, with some highlights and a few misses. The Tantan San ramen stood out with its rich and comforting vegetable broth, complemented by cremini mushrooms, bok choy, and tofu, making it a satisfying and well-balanced dish. On the other hand, the Kimchi & Fried Chicken ramen had crispy chicken and buttered corn, but the flavors didn’t fully come together as expected. The dumpling was okay but not particularly memorable. However, the atmosphere was pleasant, making for a comfortable dining experience, and the service was friendly and efficient, which was a plus.

I have been thinking about this ramen since February of 2024 when I was visiting Chicago. We stayed in the hotel across the street and decided to try it after a long day of driving. It was so incredible I kid you not we there every single night we were in town. The brisket ramen they had on special was by far the most delicious ramen I’ve ever had in my life. I still crave it. I want to visit Chicago again soon just to eat it. Update: we are back a year later as it’s just as good! Currently obsessed with the Katsu ramen!

Everything was delicious. The service was awesome. There is a vegan option for ramen (no desserts tho). The Asahi beer came out in a chilled beer glass. The salad was delicious with the perfect amount of ginger sesame dressing. The ramens were both really tasty and came out hot! Would definitely return next time I’m in the Windy City!

Love this ramen spot. The lighting was subtle, the music was hip-hop, the noise level was medium, the waiter was really nice. They made the substitutes we asked for with our dish. Enjoyed the edamame, fried Brussels, chicken ramen bowl.

My boyfriend and I went and we got the: - Miso - Spicy Salmon - Tonkotsu - Pork Belly Bun - Yuzu lemonade I loved their cocktail menu, it was so cute! The lemonade was delicious. The miso was one of the best I've ever had and the pork belly bun was so fluffy and delicious!

Food was excellent, bartender made an excellent drink, staff were attentive and kind, it’s location is perfect if you have to visit the doctors office for anything and I’m sure the cardiologist would approve of most of the food offerings, thanks for the excellent meal and service.

Great ramen place in downtown Chicago. The atmosphere is chill, the decorum is natural light woods and Edison bulbs, the service is great. I had their gyoza, pork belly bun, and the Tonkatsu. All great. The ramen took a while to get there but it was busy when I came and I ordered two rounds of appetizers. Not deducting a point for that. Every ramen place has its own take on tonkatsu. Hear the noodles are a little more al dente. The broth is garlic with a good bit of corn as well. I love that their dessert menu is a comic.

Very good location tucked away on the back street below Michigan Ave. I love that they have gluten-free noodles. Prices are good, establishment is clean, staff is friendly. What more could you ask? Food always comes out quick, so I'll be back.

I came here for a friend's birthday lunch, and I was genuinely blown away. While it's known as a ramen bar, we ended up ordering almost all the appetizers on the menu since I've had a bit too much ramen recently--and wow, they did not disappoint. We started with the gyoza and dumplings. Personally, I loved the dumplings, while my friends were all about the gyoza. We also ordered the shrimp tempura rolls, which came in five large, delicious pieces with a fantastic dipping sauce. Super fresh, and I couldn't stop eating them! Another standout was the tuna avocado dip. It was light and refreshing, and the avocado texture was incredible. Surprisingly, this was one of my favorites! The absolute highlight for me, though, was the sticky Thai wings. They were perfectly meaty, sticky, and sweet--one of those dishes you can't stop eating. And of course, we can't forget the yuzu margaritas! Overall, this location gets a full 5/5. I'm already looking forward to coming back and finally trying the ramen because if the starters are this good, I can only imagine how amazing the ramen must be. Highly recommend!

I came here for a late lunch at 2 pm after a long series of meetings. I was staying across the street at the Homewood Suites/ Hampton Inn and came downstairs. The food did not disappoint. I even ordered miso soup for my appetizer since I was so hungry. I ordered the sumo bowl and it filled my belly with the cha shu, dumplings and veggies. It was what I needed after a very long morning that only continued with 3-4 more hours of zoom meetings. Come here instead of chipotle or the taco place that is adjacent to this restaurant. Also the server was friendly and let me mind my own business, which I appreciated.

Ramen-San is always a great lunch meal. Great lunch options for under $20. Last time got the lunch express. This time I felt like a full bowl ( believe this was the katsu tonkatsu). The start of the show were the delicious avocado tempura, almost like avocado fries. Always a cool vibe here and a good solid lunch option especially if you see by the NW hospital campus.

Very delicious and filling! The eggplants fries were a meal I. Itself We ate outside on a highboy wooden table so it was very busy outside with down town noise which I like! The server ice was friendly an attentive. The pork was juicy and melted in your mouth! If you can eat with chop sticks go for it . The spice is very tangy and delicious . Thumbs up

Hands down the best pork-belly bun I have ever had. Every dish is delicious and very filling! I went to this location a year ago and the deluxe location two nights ago and it's only gotten better. I love the intimate but communal areas in the restaurant, they also have a stellar soundtrack? Clearly I love the place. Please go. I know it's a ramen shop but the sushi was soooo good. I'm not a big noodle fan and this is still one of my favorite stops.

It was a chilly rainy day walking around in the city so Ramen-San was the perfect answer. A nice steaming bowl of Ramen was exactly what we needed. We decided to get adventurous and tried the eggplant fries which the waitress highly recommended. They were just OK in our opinion though. The waitress was very attentive explaining the menu and accommodating our needs and requests. All three of us enjoyed our Ramen dishes and would go back again.

Not sure if it's just this location, but my ramen broth was lacking flavor? Everything else was amazing, though! The ramen itself was great, but I wished the broth was more flavorful. The crunchy tuna roll was fresh, and satisfied my sushi craving. The pork belly bun was also amazing, the bun was so soft and delicious!

Overall this ramen spot was pretty good. To start off with the vibe and the decor inside was great. The dim lights with a 90's/early 2000's soundtrack led for an intimate Friday dinner to enjoy one another's conversation and catch those throwback memories. Waiter was attentive and checked on us throughout. On to the food. Tried the 10 hour tonkotsu ramen, pork bao bun, and their spicy tuna roll. For it being a 10 hour broth I was expecting an extremely rich and wow flavor but the flavor seemed to be underwhelming for the broth. The egg was cooked perfectly! Probably the best egg i've had in a ramen but the pork was just a bit too firm for my liking, I enjoy when it is fall apart with little to no effort. They do give a good amount of inclusions in their ramen which is appreciated. Their pork bun was very good. Again I wish the pork was a bit more tender but the bun, semi spicy sauce, and cucumbers gave it a great flavor. Lastly for this not being a sushi spot, the sushi was pretty tasty and presented nicely.

Having experienced ramen in Japan, I wasn't expecting an authentic comparison at Ramen-san, but I decided to give it a try after seeing how busy it gets for dinner. The restaurant has a low-light, hipster vibe, which is quite inviting. The service was good, though there can be a wait depending on your order since the menu notes that some ramen is made to order. I tried the 10-hour tonkotsu ramen. The pork was excellent--perfectly cooked and very tender--but the noodles were just okay, and I found the broth a bit bland. Overall, it was a decent experience, but just don't expect Japanese ramen quality.

Interesting choice of music for a ramen place. My daughter was on the phone with her boyfriend who thought we were clubbing. The ramen was excellent and hit the spot. We'll certainly be back!

Ramen-san in Chicago is awesome! The ramen is super flavorful, perfect for a cold winter visit. The vibe is fun and casual, and the staff is friendly. Definitely recommend starting with their buns--so good. Perfect spot for a tasty, laid-back meal!

My husband was craving ramen + my friend recommended this place. I loved that they had other things on their menu besides ramen because our little son is not a fan.. There were plenty of good things on the menu for him to order though- like enough things that he had a hard time deciding what to go with. I got a fried chicken/kimchi ramen and it was pretty legit. Comforting, fatty and spicy.. just as ramen should be. I demolished my whole bowl.. but like.. I mostly always do Then play hip hop, which is fun.. but it was a bit loud in here. I thought it was a vibe, but could be annoying if you are trying to talk or whatever. Would likely return

My second experience here was a lot better than my first! This time I tried something new (the veggie ramen) & it was so good. I loved the broth & the mushrooms in it. I wish they seasoned / cooked the tofu better though. It was very bland and flavorless. We ordered it to-go, but still had to wait awhile for our order to be ready once we got there. It was packed for a Sunday night, so I recommend making a reservation. Can't wait to go back & try some of the sushi next time!!!!

My first visit to Ramen San was pleasant. Their spacious seating area easily accommodated our large party, and we appreciated the variety of seating options. We indulged in a selection of drinks, including the Penicillin, Asahi, and Yuzu Sake Bomb, all of which impressed us. As for the food, everything we ordered, from the Japanese eggplant fries to the crispy tofu bun, maki express set, and Kimchi & fried chicken bowl--was delicious. A standout was the generous portion of the kimchi and fried chicken bowl, which we asked to be split into halves, and the server happily obliged. We also ordered karaage nuggets and chicken gyoza, both were equally good. For dessert, the Thai tea creme brulee and donuts were yummy, with the creme brulee being a definite recommendation. Overall, the experience was fantastic, with prompt service and a pleasant ambience adding to the enjoyment.

Food: 3.5/5 Service 4/5 Value 5/5 Location: 4.5/5 A short walk from the Mag Mile and once of the few options for Asian food. Definitely not authentic Japanese if that's what were looking for but their express lunch special offered a lot for the money. They have a limited drink menu and most of it isn't really even Asian. There are a good number of tables with a decent bar for this area. What I ordered: Express lunch with karaage chicken with the rice, salad, cucumbers, tonkatsu ramen. Salad was nothing special or Japanese. Marinated cucumbers were good. Rice was good well, karaage needs some work for more flavor but overall not too bad. Got lots of meat of the tonkatsu ramen and the marinating we really good. I'd say the chashu was definitely the highlight of the meal. Ramen broth and molten egg was ok, definitely had better. Michielle Wie - a mix of Yuzu and green tea. Was recommended this because I didn't want something too sweet If you are craving some Asian food on the Mag Mile, this might satisfy it a bit.

Visited this on a gloomy cold weather and this ramen hit the right spot. We got a customized chicken broth based ramen with karage chicken and made it spicy. It was too good. Initially we hadn't checked on the pork base but staff were kind enough to take it back and remake as per our requirements. Service was amazing. Place was really busy and clean . It was a fun vibe overall

One of my favorite ramen (and lunch) places! A big fan of the express lunch and love how they have something different by each location. The portions are just right and filling. The express lunch is always a great way to sample the menu before getting the full portion.

The VERY nest ramen!!! And the pork belly bun was to die for!!! Not to mention the margarita also one of the best I've ever had! Our waitress was just lovely. We are going back again today lol!! This is seriously a must have!!!

To start: service is amazing here. Haven't had a place pack my food in forever so love that. But my reviews prioritize the food. My waitress didn't recommend anything I ordered so maybe it's on me lol. Tonkatsu: egg was nice and jammy, but broth was lacking. They offer a lot of fixings on the table, but I rarely ever add sauce/more toppings on my ramen so that felt strange. Thai tea crème brûlée: sugar top mostly tasted burnt and the custard tasted like nothing. Waitress recommended the donut so maybe that was on me lol. Overall I'd be back because I liked the service. Maybe I'm being harsh because I'm from LA hahah.

A perfect meal. We came in for a midweek dinner and took advantage of the happy hour ("lucky hour") cocktail specials Not usually a fan of gimmicky drinks, but the penicillin #2 was just a great way to take the edge off a Wednesday work day. If you like ginger and good whiskey, order it. Japanese eggplant fries were battered just enough and fried beautifully. The 10 hour tonkatsu ramen was rich and satisfying. The kimchi fried chicken ramen was full of texture and buttery, spicy flavors. Service was okay, and the room is softly lit and chill. Vintage hip-hop playing throughout the meal. Perfectly audible, but not too loud. This place is definitely going into our rotation of relaxing midweek dinner options.

I have lost count of the number of times I've come here and it truly never disappoints! Amazing vegetarian ramen, ambience and service! If you can't tolerate too spicy, I recommend getting the chili oil on the side! Aside from the delicious ramen, highly recommend the tofu bun!

I got the edamame app and the bento box. Edamame was yum-- well-seasoned, and smokey-charred-- star of the meal. The bento box had some sushi rolls (solid, nothing spectacular, but fresh), some cucumber side (refreshing), salad (simple but great), and a miso soup. The miso soup was extremely salty, flavor was ok but it clearly over reduced and was the low light. I couldn't finish it. Over all, I thought the meal was good (with some low lights), the service was good, I'll award it 4/5!

Yuzu margarita: taste just like a normal margarita. Not very strong yuzu flavor. Should add more juice. Also I didn't notice there's cilantro in it?!!! That's crazy. Had to pick them out. Pork belly bun: skin's a bit hard to chew. Meat flavor is good by itself but compete with the kimchi spicy sauce and quite confusing flavor Fried chicken bun: crispy, with sweet and mustard sauce. A bit sweet for me but the chicken is crispy and juicy Chicken katsu ramen: soup is good. Noodle is cooked 80%. I personally like fully cooked ramen. You may like it harder. Chicken should serve on the side so you can enjoy the crispyness. But it still taste good and tender in the soup 10h tonkotsu broth ramen: the soup taste pretty much the same with the other standard soup we got. Even a bit less flavorful. Not impressed. It's not bad, just I had higher hopes for a 10hour cooked soup. Was expecting something more creamy. Pork belly is better than that in the bun. Much more tender and the fat/meat ratio is great. Thai tea crème brûlée: my favorite dish of the day. Real strong Thai tea flavor punch you at the end. Super smooth and freshly made crispy top. Whole thing's not too sweet. Highly recommend! Very young and hoppy environment. Light is very dim. Very downtown style and the staff are nice and young.

This place made me like ramen. Never was a fan but the ambience, the music, the vibe, and the ramen made me give the spot 5 stars. Definitely my fav spot in the mag mile for sure.

Needed something soupy and came upon Ramen-San in front of my hotel. It wasn't too busy and was asked if I could sit at the bar, but prefer not sitting on a stool so asked for the table. Ordered the xoxo shrimp and pork dumplings and tonkatsu ramen. Food came out timely. The dumplings were okay, but had too much of a fishy smell to me. The ramen was decent, didn't care for the pork, but the noodles and broth were okay. Not the best bowl of ramen I had, but liked that the soup came hot.

This place was really nice. I came on a Wednesday evening, it was busy but I was seated right away. They have a decent menu. I started off with eggplant fries. They were very unique and fun to try! The 10 hour tonkotsu was delicious . The pork in it was so flavorful and melted in your mouth. The drink selection wasn't huge but the two cocktails I had, lychee martini and yuzu margarita, were great. Overall, I enjoyed eating here.

Quick service. Ramen was decent. I liked that they had an express lunch option that you can get a rice dish and a soup dish for under 18 bucks

Quick meal before heading to the airport, the place is very convenient since it is just across from Homewood Suites Hilton that I am staying at. The ramen wasn't anything special but it does have the chewy texture that I like. The fried eggplant was good and have enough flavors but last few pieces on the bottom of the plate was too oily. The thai ice tea creme brulee had too strong tea flavor,

Good as always. My wife and I come to one of the locations in Chicago every time we're here. Great service that's super attentive and informative of the various ramens. Great options for all proteins and for vegetarians. Always a good vibe with some bumpin beats.

Had a wonderful experience at Ramen-San. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was cozy. Highly recommend it!

My daughter chose this restaurant for the Ramen. I guess because it is a Ramen shop you would expect a limited menu. The interior was well designed was comfortable. You can go with a date or you can go as a family. Personally, it was the 80s and 90s rap which I extremely loved, I've seen bad reviews about the music, and I would have to disagree with them. The music was not that loud and set the mood of the establishment. We got there and we seated right away, and the waiter was exceptional! He was a tentative, he gave suggestions, and he helped with all manner of the order. Now to the downside. Being we do Ramen on a constant basis the broth in the soup left undesirable taste. Neither one of my kids wanted to finish, they did eat the noodles and the meat. Size was decent size for the amount. I would not say this is a Knogo, but I would say be expecting of the soup. Japanese eggplant fries 5/5, I thought they were exceptionally well. They had a sweet spicy taste him and the dipping sauce that came with. It was really good as well. Shrimp and pork dumplings 4/5 these were on the smaller size. But you did get quite a few on the dish. Again, these had more very sweet chili spicy taste. Maki Express set 5/5 I really enjoyed this. The miso soup is very good, the salad ginger sauce wasn't bad, I had salmon and avocado rolls and spicy tuna rolls. Both of the roads are very fresh and the presentation was good.

You know you're about to have bad ramen when the restaurant doesn't have Asians customers. We ordered a chicken shio and a kimchi chicken ramen. Both bowls were underwhelming. The chicken shio broth had zero flavor and lacked depth. It tasted like warm water and soy sauce. The kimchi chicken came with fried chicken/karaage. Considering the saltiness to the broth, the fried, seasoned chicken made the broth so salty and unappetizing. Also, what is the point of serving fried chicken in broth? Doesn't it take away from the crunch? I've tried a decent number of ramen spots -Tamashii, Kyuramen, Totto etc but this place really missed the mark. This might be the worst ramen I've ever had. I would consider eating instant shin ramen at home than going back here. To top it off, they ran out of hand sanitizer and they charge a convenience fee. (Not sure if the convenience fee is common in Chicago. It's not normal in NYC.)

I have been on such a ramen kick recently and had been meaning to try Ramen-San for some time now. I came here with a friend and we both got the Kimchi and Fried Chicken Ramen. I was honestly hesitant about fried chicken in soup as I thought it might get soggy, but it was actually perfectly crunchy. I loved the broth with the kimchi, it was a really unique and great flavor. The noodles were pretty good but weren't the most flavorful I have had. I also ordered the lychee-tini. It was pretty good but it honestly really just tasted like vodka with the smallest hint of lychee. The service was okay, nothing extraordinary. The place was the perfect size and I didn't hate the seating. Will probably come here again to try some other items out.

Tonkatsu that was 80% fat, miso soup was a liquid salt lick, sushi rolls with mashed/pudding versus what most individuals would recognize as rice, and all fried food made in the same fryer/oil so our guest who is allergic to avocado couldn't get what they wanted. Service and ambiance are nice.

I came to this place to try their vegan ramen. I also got their vegan Brussels sprouts. Everything tasted amazing. The tofu's sauce on the Brussels was creamy goodness! The tofu in the ramen was soft like silken tofu. Inside, the atmosphere was great; I liked the dim lighting for a good dinner ambiance. Our waitress Gina was very friendly and helpful! I most definitely would return!

Went here for happy hour and it was good but everything was friend. The tomago sandwich was amazing! Wish I got some non friend things to balance out the buns and sandwich.

Great place for ramen and an Asian style drink. I absolutely loved that the cocktail menu was turned into a comic (there's a traditional drink menu too). It was so adorable that I had to order one and my margarita actually looked like the cartoon (minus the fortune cat, see pics) Service was quick. Place was clean with Japanese decor.

Surprisingly good ramen and other menu items. We cam in for an early dinner on our last night in Chicago and I wasn't disppointed, The fried chicken is amazingly good, super crispy and very flavorful. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen which had a very deep and rich broth with plenty of items along with the noodles. Service was friendly and the prices are very good considering the quality.

After living in Chicago for more than 2 years, this was my first visit to Ramen San. The ambience was pretty chill, we got the big table and started our night with drinks including sake bomb, penicillin, and few beers. The drinks were pretty refreshing specially the penicillin. Loved the sugar dipped garlic which came with it. Food was amazing, I loved my kimchi chicken ramen, one of the best chicken ramens I have ever had. The fried chicken was fresh and gyozas were uniquely flavorful. The service was a bit slow for drinks but they got food pretty quickly. I can see Ramen San becoming my go to ramen place in the city going forward.

Great portion size and amazing taste. Fast service. Cozy and family friendly ambiance. Could consider having more vegetarian options.

This place was right across the street from the hotel I was staying in. I was craving some comfort food, something warm and satisfying. Unfortunately, Ramen-San Deluxe did not deliver. I ordered the Sumo Bowl, which looked amazing when it came out, but really lacked flavor in my opinion. I had to add some spicy ramen flakes and chili oil to it to find it somewhat palatable. Broth was super salty, too. I know pork tends to be really chewy or dissolves in your mouth due to the high fat content, but this pork left a weird texture/taste in my mouth. I ate about half the bowl before deciding to take the leftovers home... it was not very satisfying. Then, I walked back to my hotel room (less than 5 min walk away) and immediately threw up after getting back. Now, I have a pretty hardy stomach and can tolerate a lot of "questionable" food, so this was extremely surprising to me. Felt a lot better after it came up than during eating it though. Probably a good thing that it didn't stay in my system. I dined in by myself, and the service was nice and attentive, pretty much the only positive thing I can say about this restaurant. Shoutout to my server Daniel M., he was cool. Atmosphere was very trendy, but the music was really loud. I'm kinda glad I came here alone because I don't think I would have been able to hold a meaningful conversation with someone because of the loud music. They tacked on a 3% restaurant surcharge, which can be removed upon request. On the receipt, it said it was added to offset rising costs associated with the restaurant. It wasn't much more, so I left it there. Just something to be mindful of if you do visit here. Overall disappointing and literally gave me stomach problems. 1 star for food and atmosphere, +1 star for good service.

I've dined in and done takeout from this location multiple times, and I was never disappointed! The ramen I've ordered from Ramen San is the Tan Tan (the vegetarian ramen dish). It's delicious!! The restaurant service is always great. The last waiter gave my sister and me the extra big booth just cuz! He also did a very good job with convincing us to try the mini doughnuts, which were yummy. The ambiance at this location is calm and soothing, with comfortable seating and dim slights. FYI the lycheetini is pretty strong! I can't wait to get the Tan Tan again soon!

Lunch specials worth it when you're not so hungry still was a lot of food! Ramen was good, sushi was also good.

Ordering tonkotsu ramen from an Asian fusion restaurant is never a good idea. Our server was super awesome and helpful though. Chicken shio ramen was pretty good. Their chashu is sliced extra thick which I liked but my tonkotsu broth wasn't very flavorful and there was too much wakame and bamboo shoots. I would have asked for no wakame had I known it would be in the bowl.

Upbeat and modern ramen shop in the heart of Chicago. We came in as a party of 2 on a Friday night to an almost full house and were able to snag a booth that just freed up. We ordered a bao, karrage chicken, spicy miso ramen, and a kimchi ramen. Food came out in a reasonable time with the appetizers on our plates in about 15 minutes with the ramen following a short 10 minutes after. The bao was tasty and if I had 2 stomachs would probably get more. The karrage was priced like an entree and with reason - there was a LOT of chicken! The ramens had a lot of toppings and both the broths very thick. The noodles were perfect, not too soft yet with the right amount of springiness to it. tldr; excellent ramen shop, a little overpriced but the quality is worth

This place was highly recommended by one of my friend and so we decided to check out. There was wait but the outside seating have separate waitlist and is usually open. The service was somewhat slow. Both the items I asked for were out. So i got the edamame and they were pretty good.. i also got vegetarian Ramen which seemed like it needed some flavor or seasoning. Overall, I am little disappointed in the experience but may be need to go back and give this place another chance.

Fast service and clean bar. The food was really good and didn't take too long. They play rap music!

This place was in my radar for a while and finally made it. Why did I wait so long, the food here is absolutely incredible. Went in on a Friday evening and really enjoyed the food, service, and vibe. They have great menu options with something in there for everyone. We ordered chicken and vegetable gyoza, miso soup, roasted edamame, spicy salmon roll, spicy tuna roll, kimchi & fried chicken ramen, and rose mallow Mocktail . Each of the dishes were fantastic. The food is well prepared and so flavorful. I love how ramen San is accommodating of people's dietary needs. They were able to switch the pork broth to all chicken base for the kimchi and fried chicken ramen. The ramen is a must must try, it's a bowl of delicious goodness. The service is quick and the place is kid friendly. Overall had a wonderful dining experience and will be a regular here.