Sozai Banzai

This restaurant offers incredibly affordable Japanese cuisine including bentos, ramen, dons, and sides. The authentic flavors create an experience akin to dining in Japan, without the forced tipping. Katsu Don (3/5) average Pork cutlet and egg bowl.Spicy Stamina Ramen (3/5). Miso Negi Chashu Ramen (4/5) Exceptionally flavorful for just $10.95, saltier but better than even specialized ramen spots in Chicago.Side: Chikuzen Ni (5/5) A steal at $4, includes a healthy mix of carrots, bamboo shoots, lotus slices, and mushrooms.

Great little gem tucked in Schaumburg. authentic Japanese style cafeteria.

I should’ve taken the photo first but the food was TOO GOOD and I couldn’t stop eating. One of the best Japanese restaurants in Illinois and STRONGLY recommend. You won’t regret.

Very authentic casual Japanese food. Definitely recommend!

I love this place!!! Their daily specials are always delicious and well worth the money. Their miso soup is great. Main entrees too such as tonkatsu. Tonjiru soup is good as well. The only thing I wouldnt recommend is the bento, it really is too little for the price. Would much rather get bento from mitsuwa to be honest or even from sgd so gong dong (korean).

We enjoyed everything we ordered - large katsu curry, unadon, taco karaage (baby octopus!), croquettes. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and authentic; you could taste the ingredients without seasoning overpowering them. We were craving katsu curry and kabayaki eel and it was very satisfying. The place is bright, clean, and smells good, reminding me of small cozy restaurants in Japan. The staff was polite and precise. It is a perfect place for lunch; a couple groups of people were dining in while a few others like me were picking up orders from the counter inside. Will definitely go back to explore other things on the menu.

Awesome food!!! It reminds me of the neighborhood restaurants when I worked in Japan. Food was affordable and nutritious. There are plenty of veggies for the bentos. <3 The bonus is getting to order house-made desserts. :p~~

It was my first time at this quaint Japanese restaurant and I wasn’t disappointed. The service was friendly and we were pleased with the menu options as well. We ordered a couple of different ramen bowls and all 3 of them were delicious. Fresh, flavorful, and well combined ingredients! We were able to control the spice level as they provided the sauce on the side. We’ll surely try some other options on the next visit. It’s a little tucked away in a small strip center so be sure not to pass it up and stop in for for a delicious meal.

I found this place from the Eater list. Super random find, but I'm so glad we did during our little road trip from Chicago to Stoughton Wisconsin. This is a casual authentic restaurant that provides home cooked Japanese food. Deluxe and mini bentos boast of a variety of offerings such as spaghetti salad, tofu curd salad, hijiki salad, and mixed lotus root with konnyaku medley, which are items you don't normally see in a brick and mortar Japanese restaurant here in the US. We've enjoyed our lunch here. Chicken karaage pieces were very crispy, without being overly greasy. The humble salmon teriyaki was very fresh and tender. The fried croquettes were total savory umami bombs. Friendly service. Definitely a must if you're in the area.

This place is a great, casual dine-in place you can frequent with a friend, coworker, or family member. I ordered ramen (tonkotsu) which came with a slice of charsiu and a hard-boiled egg. My mom ordered their chicken nanban teishoku (lunch menu which was $11.95). It came with rice, a small salad, a side dish, and chicken w/ tartar sauce (which is what chicken nanban essentially is). The dessert was great - 3.95 for matcha ice cream and 3.95 for custard traditional Japanese pudding. Both desserts are things you can make at home but are too lazy to either get at the store or make from scratch. I'd definitely stop by again when I'm making a grocery run to nearby Mitsuwa or Tensuke Market.

Overall, good food for decent price and quick service. Would not be a go-to, but if I was in the area for a quick bite, I'd consider returning. Hard to find location. Tucked away in a small strip mall. Photos of the sign are old, so posting an updated sign to see. No greeting when we walked through the door, no servers? We ordered through the toasttab app. I'm sure it makes sense financially, but it was jarring since we were expecting a sit down restaurant. Then the bill recommends a tip, but like, who is it going to then?! Atmosphere: Cafe-like. Upbeat Japanese music in the background. Service: very fast and friendly. Food quality: Teriyaki sauce is a little bland and thin, but I think that's more authentic Japanese. Husband disagrees. -spicy stamina ramen had raw veggies instead of boiled veggies like I'm used to. I had to pick them out. Otherwise, I added an egg and Chashu which were very good. Noodles perfect for my liking, fresh, firm and chewy. -bento boxes were very good to my taste buds, but not so much for my kids. -potato croquette with pork -my favorite dish here

I tried Sozai Benzai restaurant for the first time tonight for dinner - it was pretty good. It's a small restaurant where you can dine in or takeout, the service was fine. The Gyu Don was pretty good - however, it needed more flavor so add a bit of soy sauce and siracha and then you're good to go. Spicy Stamina Ramen was pretty good - but it's really not spicy, maybe I have a higher tolerance level for spice. Overall, a nice place to eat at for a quicker and affordable Japanese meal.

Cute, clean, modern-looking Japanese restaurant in a small shopping plaza. We went on Sunday around noon and there were a couple of tables occupied at the time. Overall, the service was great and food was delicious (and authentic). I ordered kitsune udon that had two pieces of kitsune and a small piece of fishcake. Although sparse on ingredients and simple, the broth was flavorful and the dish overall was satisfying. I also had an eggplant appetizer that was good but was slightly watered-down. My husband had katsudon and said it was amazing and one of the best he's had. This came with a bowl of miso soup. Because of the service, reasonable prices and the vast menu, I'm definitely going back to try other items on their menu.

This is one of those spots where it's consistently consistent. I have never had a bad meal here and they're consistently serving the same quality food and flavors. I really enjoyed their potato croquettes and usually have this to start or an order of their gyoza. My go to dish here is their katsu curry. It's such a feel good comfort food dish with abundant curry sauce and lots of pork Katsu. I usually order a regular (not a large) and even that's a generous serving. They also have gyudon which isn't something a lot of places offer as well as udon and ramen. They post their specials on their social media and have purposely don't detours to have the daily special. Give this spot a try. It doesn't look like much on the outside but they have some of the best Japanese food in town.

Want a good place for some ramen? This is definitely a place to look at... Ambiance The place is nicely lit. The chairs and tables seem similar to chairs and tables you would see more at a fast food place than a fine dining, but it fits the aesthetic of the restaurant. It think everything was written Japanese but the guy who works for he counter (he might have been the cook as well) can help you. Also, there are a lot of pictures, so you can point to what you would like. Service I think this is more towards a eat and go type establishment. You go to the counter order your food then sit down till it is ready. They call you up and you get it. Afterwards you bring your tray to the disposal area. It is clean and the staff is friendly and helpful. Food Katsu don I have never had katsu don before. It is a rice dish with a pork cutlet and egg on top. The taste has a slightly sweet taste. The rice is there to regulate the sweetness and also has a fried pork cutlet, which gives some texture. This dish does not seem like it should wait to be eaten since the cutlet does get soggy if eaten later. Takoyaki The takoyaki had a nice taste to it. Sometimes Benito flakes give off a petrol-like smell/taste, but these did not really have them. Ramen They had different types of ramen when we went. The one I ordered was a tonkatsu ramen. It had a rich pork broth with pieces of pork. The noodles had a nice toothy texture where it had some firmness to noodles but not where they were underdone. The other accompaniments gave the ramen different dimensions, I.e. the pickled ginger gave a slight sourness to it. Tsukemen ramen My brother got the tsukemen ramen. Tsukemen is a dipping ramen where the noodles are separated from the soup. It smelled nice and my brother seemed to have enjoyed the taste. Chicken wings... These wings were ordered by accident. We did not have any intentions of getting them. For the most part, they were crispy and had a sauce similar to buffalo hot sauce in it. Other then that, it wasn't bad but not really something I would order again. Overall The restaurant is nice and definitely a place to go if you want ramen. I would say that the other customer were all Japanese and kept looking at me and my brother funny, but that might be just paranoia...

As one of the few Asian restaurants that open on Sundays and through the entire afternoon, Sozai Banzai is located in a pretty hidden strip mall plaza that's easy to miss especially coming from the southeast. Garlic Ramen-- the flavor was really good, but pretty dark because of the roasted garlic (so can be a bit bitter to some people) and was more oily than I'd preferred. I loved the thickness of the noodles, it was bouncy and chewy. The surprising part is that the pork is all lean meat (no fat or skin) but still somehow really tender, but the meat is definitely on the smaller side and they only give one slice. The egg I thought was done well, gel-like yoke, but the brown color and marinade flavor is on the lighter side and they only give you half an egg. Not a lot of toppings, so just scallion and very few bamboo shoots, but the bamboo shoots is really good flavor, not overpowering on sweet or acid flavors. Kyushu Style Tonkotsu Ramen-- the broth base has umami and seafood-like flavor profile, creamy and not as oily. The red sweet shredded ginger adds a nice contrast to the broth and paired well with the thin noodles. Same comment as garlic ramen for egg and pork. Like others have mentioned, the portion sizes are definitely smaller than other places for the price and have way fewer toppings, but everything seemed to be made with care and quality. Would come back to try other options!

Good food very small portion of miso soup though. It was a nice Japanese meal that I was craving.

Authentic, homestyle Japanese place! We've been coming here for about five years and never disappoint. The restaurant is small and semi self service - so if you are looking for a typical Japanese dining experience, this isn't the place for you. It's a place that you go as a regular, a place you go whenever you can't figure out what's for dinner, a place feels familiar and warm. Personally I love almost all the food there and usually order whatever I'm in the mood for - they have a good variety of rice, noodle and bento. If you want to try their daily special, better come for lunch because they sell out quickly. Price is affordable and excellent for the food quality.

My bf and I wanted an authentic Japanese restaurant with a wide variety of options (not just ramen) and Sozai Bonzai popped up on our radar! You know the place is good when it's primarily people from Japan eating there. The place is fairly small but clean. You order and pay at the counter and wait for your food to be made! You can also order online as well from your table by scanning the QR code posted on the table. We ordered Sapporo Reserve, Coke, Gyoza, Corn Miso Butter Ramen, and a regular sized portion of the Ebi Fry Curry. Everything was lovely! The ramen was probably some of the best I've ever had outside of japan. The broth was phenomenal. The fried shrimp was super crispy and fresh and I loved the pickles that came on the side with my curry. I even requested extra, which they kindly accommodated! Our dinner came out to around $55, which isn't bad for two drinks, an appetizer, and two dinner entrees. I would definitely visit this restaurant in the future if I am in the area again! Thank you for a lovely dinner, Sozai Bonzai! Gochisosama deshita!

I was checking out Sozai Banzai on Yelp because I knew that I would be in the area. The food looked pretty good and then I came across one of my old pics. What?? I've already been here?? If my first visit was forgettable, why was that the case - I dunno??, so I went back to give them another try. You order at the counter and there are only a few tables due to restrictions. Not too many diners but a whole lotta people (Grub Hub, Door Dash) coming in to pick -up. In fact, be careful in the parking lot, some people are in a hurry to get their food - and not necessarily driving carefully. As for the food, the gyoza was fine and my Tonkotsu with extra pork belly was very good. I really enjoyed the porky broth, the flavors really came through. The bento box was ok - I ordered grilled mackerel but it came out fried. The service is minimal due to one guy managing the register, preparing the food (for both dine in and pick up) and for cleaning tables. I ended up going back to my car for a bottle of water, I couldn't wait any longer. So, the food was fine and I would consider this place as primarily a pick-up spot. Ahhh...I guess I know why I had forgotten about my first visit.

Sozai Banzai is a culinary gem that never fails to impress. This spacious and inviting restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience that combines a diverse menu, a warm atmosphere, and exceptional service. First and foremost, the menu at Sozai Banzai is a true culinary delight. With a wide array of authentic Japanese dishes, there's something to satisfy every palate. From fresh sushi and sashimi to mouthwatering ramen bowls and delectable tempura, the menu showcases the depth and variety of Japanese cuisine. Each dish is expertly prepared with precision and care, ensuring a taste sensation that keeps customers coming back for more. What sets Sozai Banzai apart is the spaciousness and ambiance of the venue. The restaurant boasts a large dining area with comfortable seating, providing ample room for gatherings of all sizes. Whether you're dining with a group of friends or seeking a cozy corner for a quiet meal, Sozai Banzai offers a welcoming environment that enhances the overall dining experience. Additionally, the service at Sozai Banzai is truly exceptional. Among their stellar staff, one standout server who consistently goes above and beyond is Hiroko. With her warm smile, genuine enthusiasm, and extensive knowledge of the menu, Hiroko ensures that every visit is a memorable one. Her attentive nature and willingness to accommodate individual preferences contribute to the outstanding service experience at Sozai Banzai. In conclusion, Sozai Banzai is a culinary haven that delights with its expansive menu, inviting atmosphere, and exceptional service. Whether you're a sushi aficionado, a ramen enthusiast, or simply a lover of Japanese cuisine, this restaurant is sure to satisfy your cravings. The wide range of dishes, combined with the spacious and welcoming environment, make it an ideal destination for any occasion. And with servers like Hiroko who genuinely care about their customers' experiences, Sozai Banzai truly stands out as a dining establishment worth visiting time and time again.

all I want to say is WOW, i've lived next to this place for years & have never given the place an actual chance. I'd just take a nibble from what my dad would bring home & i'm just in awe right now. I got the pork curry & asked for it to be spicy. solid 12/10. everything is put so well together starting from the taste of the food, the appearance & crunchiness of the pork also, the cashier/server is extremely helpful & nice! would highly recommend this place for authentic japanese food. i'd take a picture of the food but I already ate it all

Absolutely DELICIOUS food and very good prices too! 10/10 would recommend to anyone who loves authentic comfort Japanese food

Highly recommended. A small mom and pop shop near mitsuwai supermarket which is crazy packed. Great price and selection. Feels like I'm back in Japan.

One of our favorite spots for delicious Japanese dishes with a casual vibe. I especially enjoy the tantanmen ramen and the takoyaki!

Thanks to one of my friends recommending this Japanese bento (lunch box) shop, I ordered two bento: - Menchi Katsu (fried minced hamburger) -karaage (fried chicken) Each bento got white rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage salad w/ japanese mayonnaise, hijiki seaweed salad, Nimono (boiled) of Chinese cabbage and mushroom, fried tofu, and baby fish. Everything tasted good. I did love hijiki and fried minced burger. And I liked that they used Japanese mayonnaise, which reminds me of bento shops from my childhood in Japan. My wife (American) loved Chinese cabbage Nimono. I called them at 12:15pm from work, told them I am coming to pick up at 1pm. I arrived there at 12:50pm. And I got the foods ready at 12:55pm. Very good timing, flawless service, and even the way they tied the bag was easy to open at home. I appreciate that they care!! It is very difficult to get this high quality of Japanese bento in the area. They have authentic Japanese home-made style flavors. Especially during Covid time, it is difficult to go back to Japan. So I truly appreciate their effort! If you are new to Japanese bento, please try some classic flavors like Chicken Karaage, Demi glacé hamburger, Oroshi Katsu (fried pork w grated radish), or grilled fish. My total score is 5 out of 5!

$15.73 for an order of Chasu ramen and a bottle of water. Ramon noodles that were not much better than packaged instant and fatty pork (all three slices had too much heinous connective tissue) in a broth that was slightly fishy. 1/2 egg soft boil was good, but overall disappointing

Very simple food that is affordable and delicious. We got takoyaki and red bean cake which was yummy. The Taiwanese tan tan ramen was delicious with great flavor. The oyakodon was alright and lacked the soy sauce flavor.

Such an unassuming place! My friend and I came here for katsu curry, and enjoyed every bite! Workers were very pleasant. Highly recommended checking this place out!!

went with a friend before heading over to Mitsuwa, and it was totally worth bypassing the busy food court at Mitsuwa and grabbing some food at this local spot. tried the karaage don, gyoza, croquette, miso soup, and the custard pudding. all were great and tasty and the food came out pretty quickly. the service was nice and pleasant. looking forward to returning when i'm in the area again.

We found this place by accident and are so happy we did. The staff were incredibly pleasant and accommodating, the food was delicious, and the place was very clean and comfortable. I got the garlic ramen and edamame while my mom got the Kyushu style ramen and gyoza. Initially there was a mixup and she was given the wrong ramen, but it was quickly and kindly remedied. My only regret is that we live five hours away in St. Louis. We will definitely be back next year on our annual Chicago trip!

Shut your face. How did I not know about this place??!?!?? A friend suggested we go here after church for lunch one day because we couldn't decide on a place. It's a very authentic Japanese cafe style restaurant that has simple menu items. You go up to the counter to order, and they bring out your food shortly. Such a simple and cute restaurant with delicious Japanese food? You can't go wrong! Just be aware that it is not Americanized, so if you are into westernized Japanese food, this is not the place for you.

I have been looking for a good ramen place since I moved to Illinois. All the other ramen places I have tried were not that great. The Taiwanese Tonkotsu was spicy but it was so good!!! Everything else was great as well but the ramen was definitely my favorite of everything I tried so far. I will continue to indulge this ramen throughout winter

People are going to hate me but to me this place only deserves 3 stars. Average food, average price, average service, average cleanliness. I think it's a convenient place to get Japanese food if Mitsuwa is too packed... but that's about it.

Excellent authentic tasting Japanese food. Before checking out the place I read a few reviews. The ones that caught my eye were about Spicy Stamina Ramen. People were debating whether it was too spicy or not. For me, it was just right. My 12 year old also tried a bit and liked it. So not too spicy. We also tried okaka onigiri, fried chicken and octopus as well as takoyaki. Takoyaki was rich and tasty. No frills, authentic Japanese comfort food place.

My son and I had rather uneventful ramen. The review has to be at least 85 characters

If your looking for authentic and affordable japanese resto, this is the perfect place for you. The place is small and the staff are friendly. You guys should try it

The food was just alright. I went with my friend who is from Japan & she didn't really like it. The service was slow to bring food & deserts out.

A hidden gem, literally, since you can't see this place from golf road, much less the name. Thanks to Yelp when I want to eat Ramen. Since it has 4.5 stars, we decided to try it. The ramen is in point. My hubby finished the ramen. The mini bento is perfect size for me. Crispy tonkatsu with croquette, potato salad etc. the takoyaki is very tasty and i like the sauce they put on it. This is a small place with about 4 tables. Going in there did not imprrss me with the place bur this is one of those yummy places with reasonable price. We will surely come back again.

My boyfriend found this place on Yelp and I was interested in going because it seemed like really authentic Japanese Food. I've been wanting to go to a place that served "tonkatsu" which is not the pork based ramen that everyone knows about but breaded, fried pork cutlet. I wanted to order that but didn't see it on the menu. I was a bit confused at their menu actually, it was hard to understand and read which is why I ended up getting something I wasn't really craving. I see people ordering things that are not on the menu so I'm not sure if they have a secret menu or regulars just know what they are able to make. Nonetheless, I did get a katsu don and it was filling. Although there wasn't anything special about it. Nothing that blew me away hence my 3 star rating. The portion of rice was a bit too much so I wasn't able to finish that. I liked how they gave me the miso soup at the same time as my don..I've been to MANY restaurants that think the miso soup is an appetizer and give it to me before my main dish which is alright but then it ends up getting cold and sometimes I like having some hot miso soup with my entree you know?? Is it just me? Anyways, my boyfriend ordered chicken karaage which I'm not really a fan of. It just reminds me of fried chicken except Asian style lol. He also got a Taiwanese tonkotsu ramen which he really loved. He claims it was the broth and the spices they used. It wasn't easy to make, like how some spicy ramen broths he could taste that they just poured hot sauce into it but the broth here was different. Perhaps next time I'll be more adventurous and try out their bento boxes or the curry. I heard they are best known for their ramen here. Will definitely look at the menu before hand so I know exactly what I want.

Had the gyudon and Katsu curry here (ordered the large). The portion size of the gyudon was a bit disappointing. The size itself was ok, but there was not a lot of meat and wayyyy too much rice. Katsu curry as well. Two people at our table ordered it and both ended up with rice at the end too with no curry sauce left. Taste-wise, they were both decent, but nothing too amazing. Gyudon came with a small miso soup on the side, which was a nice addition. Decent, well-salted miso soup. Service was quick and they were nice. We did get there right when it opened at 11:30am though, and beat a huge rush of people who came after us.

It was my first time at this quaint Japanese restaurant and I wasn't disappointed. The service was friendly and we were pleased with the menu options as well. We ordered a couple of different ramen bowls and all 3 of them were delicious. Fresh, flavorful, and well combined ingredients! We were able to control the spice level as they provided the sauce on the side. We'll surely try some other options on the next visit. It's a little tucked away in a small strip center so be sure not to pass it up and stop in for for a delicious meal.

Really cute place. I really like this place and recommend trying it. It's the kind of place you really want to like. It's very small, maybe 9 tables and then they have a small counter by the front window that seats a couple extra people. There seems to only be 1 person working the front of the restaurant. This older Japanese woman who looks like she really enjoys being there and loves her job. Most likely she is the owner or one of the owners. When you order the food you actually go up to the counter in the back by the kitchen. There was a man working that counter and you just order and pay... Then they bring the food out. The kitchen is in the back and you really can't see back there or who is working. Overall everything was good and it was a good experience. We ordered 3 different sushi rolls and a bowl of ramen. They seem to specialize in ramen though...the sushi menu is very small, so there's only a couple rolls to pick from. I would go back, but I have other places I go to for sushi and for ramen, they just aren't under the same roof.

Found this place while out exploring and it was delicious. A hidden gem! We tried: Tonkatsu Ramen Kimchi Cheese Chicken Cutlet Katsudon Takoyaki

Delicious, original authentic cuisine. A must stop if i'm the area. Bento Boxes rock!

I've had this place bookmarked since forever but finally got the time to check it out. Hubby and I came here for lunch on a weekday an hour after it opened and the daily special (pork belly) was already sold out. But no worries we came here for the ramen anyway. Hubby and I both ordered the garlic ramen and shared a chicken karage. Hubby added butter corn to his ramen and to his surprise it actually came with two slices of butter on top. The ramen itself was flavorful but I found the broth very oily. The egg was okay but a little overcooked. The prices are cheaper than other ramen joints but the portion sizes are also smaller. This wasn't a problem for me but it is for hubby's big appetite. Overall we enjoyed our food and will be back for more!

This is a great hidden gem in Arlington Heights located on a small strip mall on Golf Road. Come early because it does get busy during lunch hour. I had the japanese curry which was awesome and had just the right amount of heat - enough to taste but not overpower. Table seating is limited as it is a small space. And the staff is small so you do need to wait a bit for your food.

We are so glad we went here, the place is amazing! Was very quite on a Saturday evening, I'm not sure if that's typical? Wanted to try the omurice(rice omelette) because I saw one on the reviews, but I think it was a one time special. We ordered the large shrimp curry, garlic ramen with corn and takoyaki. One of the takoyaki was undercooked a tiny bit but I think that was just an off-chance. The food was beyond delicious and this is my new favorite place! Excited to try more things on the menu!

Ramen & bento box were prepared with wonderful attention to detail. The octopus & miso soup were delicious & my daughter said the Ramen was the best ever! We even tried the Imagawayaki (Japanese pancake with red bean paste) and it was surprisingly sweet...great experience trying something completely different The staff was super friendly and eager to explain our queries; we'll definitely be keeping Sozai Banzai on our list of places to come back to

Experience: My girlfriend and I were in a mood for Japanese food and a co worker of mind recommended this place. It surely did not disappoint. Displayed menus are in Japanese which I thought was cool. It was a authentic experience. There options of take out but also limited seating due to Covid restrictions. Parking: Convenient parking lot right in front of the business. No difficulty whatsoever! Note: this was during the weekday. Unsure how they parking is during the weekend. Stay tuned for an update because I am pretty sure I'm coming back! Worth: 100% worth visiting and revisiting! Staff was amazing and friendly. Ambience reminds me of being back in japan. Food was reasonably priced and good. After eating, you can also take short drive to Woodfield Mall or Mitsuwa! Great location. Overall, I would definitely come back here!

Small place with lots of options. The place was packed when the fam and I got there. There are only a few tables and a small bar top area by the window. We ordered the chicken karaage, the chashu ramen miso, and gyu don (thin slices of meat over rice). The chicken karaage was crispy but needed seasoning to it. What i did not like was the mayo aioli type sauce was spread on all the pieces. I'm just not a fan of mayo and other places I have been to always serve the sauce on the side. The chashu ramen miso was good. The broth was very rich and flavorful and while the portion was smaller than other places, it was just the right amount for me. I wished the chashu pieces were a little thicker though, so it wouldn't have been so flimsy to eat. I also wish it came with other add on options besides corn and egg. I asked if I could add on vegetables and was told that it was not an available option for the ramen miso. "Um, excuse me? Why can't you just add on whatever into the soup?" is what I was thinking when she told me that. My kid ate the gyu don and enjoyed it, but the rice to meat portion was definitely unproportional. Overall I would come back and enjoy another bowl of ramen. While good, there are still better ramen places out there.

Great small Japanese restaurant! Casual setting with quick service. A perfect spot for lunch. The food is always great and tastes authentic. Smaller portions, but prices are reasonable. Recommend giving them a try!

First time here and decided to check it out finally! Been wanting to eat here for awhile now. Super casual spot tucked away in a small strip plaza off Golf Rd. It's really inconspicuous, but does really well based on their reviews and the traffic I've seen come in. Their location is definitely not well known which means their food must be great to drive all these customers there. Had the tonkotsu ramen, salmon rice ball, karaage side, seaweed salad and a salmon bento. All was delicious. Bill ran about $30. Small super casual spot, order at the counter and they'll bring the food out. No tip necessary but appreciated. I'll be back to try more. Would be nice if they had sushi on their menu considering their sign says Sushi Grill , but no sushi on their menu. Also I do not know what sozai is, after going there I'm not sure I still do. Maybe they can explain it on their menu better?

A friend recommended this place for amazing Ramen, and they did not disappoint. It's one of Arlington Height's best kept secret, we came on a weekend with a group and had no problem getting seated. Great customer service and value We tried the Chicken Karaage, Gyoza, Miso Soup, Tonkatsu Ramen, everything tasted amazing and we can't wait to go back

Inside the last strip mall before entering the Village of Mount Prospect, there was a neon sign "Sushi & Grill." Oops, we missed the entrance! We then turned around, parked our vehicle in the strip-mall lot, and then headed inside...with a suspicious mind and an empty stomach. Obviously, "Sozai Banzai" is the official name for this place. This little eatery serves home-style Japanese dishes, ranging from ramen to many well-known side dishes that one can see on a typical Japanese family's dinner table. I saw many Japanese hanging out there, so it proved that there was a certain degree of authenticity involved. Everyone works there seems to be a "jack of all trades." The young man who took our order was primarily in charge of the dining room and the front-line responsibilities. All orders are taken at the register. All directions are clearly written in both English and Japanese. After we put our orders in: butter corn miso ramen and spicy stamina ramen, we helped ourselves with water. By the way, there's a minimum $10 requirement for using a debit or credit card. One (1) bowl of ramen with a choice of side dish, or a bottle of Premium Black Asahi will do. Yes, they do serve wine and beer. Getting a business liquor license is much more affordable in the suburbs. My spicy stamina ramen was delicious! It could have been a great belly-warmer, except the temperature still remains high 70s in late September here in the Midwest. Hence, it was sweating the entire time slurping my bowl. That really wasn't a complaint though! Hubby enjoyed this sweet corn miso ramen as well. He finished it in a lightening speed, so you knew that he liked it. The other table with three (3) Japanese gentlemen seemed to have a blast with their choices of entrees, because they weren't commenting negatively about the food, but the family of four (4) behind them in Japanese. Hey, that's the power of knowing a second language. I often do that, too, so I'm no saint, people! With Miki Imai's soothing, womanly voice playing in the background, the ramen was steadily transported to our stomachs. I have to say "Sozai Banzai" is truly a hidden gem in Arlington Heights, yet Yelp helps unearth it.

Amazing actual Japanese food. Love it before going to Mitsuwa to avoid the crowd and just enjoy my time instead of fighting for. Seat in the food court. Love their curry and box set meals.

Cute little Japanese . Seemingly more.loke simple cafeteria style food. You pick what you want and go order at the counter. The cashier is Japanese too. Sometimes the portions are a little small... But over all very tasty food

I waited quite a while to write this review, because I was trying to figure out how to describe this place. It is a very small place and it is located in a strip mall. Don't hate, some of the best restaurants are in strip malls. You order your meal at the counter and then find a place to sit. The menu was a bit confusing, because there was a printed menu and then there were specials (on the wall and on a little sheet on the table). I think I missed a few things I could have ordered because I didn't know where to look. We decided to order an assortment of things. The ramen was good. It wasn't the best ramen I've ever had, but it was still tasty. The pork katsu was tasty too and cooked very nicely. The chicken karaage was a standout. It was absolutely delicious! I love how it is fried. It is like a chicken nugget on savory steroids. I will definitely reorder this (maybe even a double order!). I would come back here if I was in the area, but I don't think I would drive all the way out here just to stop by. But, tasty, decent prices, and no long Mitsuwa line to deal with.