Tanaka Ramen

Ordered the Tanaka Classic, portion was fine but there was a lacking in the Narutomaki (was given one sliver) and bamboo (3-5 smaller pieces). The broth was on the lighter side and well-made and the other toppings such as the eggs and pork were seasoned well and the wood-ear mushrooms were great. I enjoyed being able to taste the marinade on the egg but I do wish there was a slight char to the pork. Overall, would recommend for those craving a quick bite. The service was fast and friendly—we sat down and ordered within 3-5 minutes after we walked inside.

Tanaka Ramen was a unique experience, an experience well worth the wait. The atmosphere was wonderful, the people were friendly, and the service was attentive without being annoying. The food was delicious, nothing like I imagined. All in all what an amazing surprise, stumbling onto this hidden gem!

The ramen was delicious! We also got some shrimp as an appetizer and I don’t think its worth the $8 since its plain fried shrimp. The ramen is what made up for it. The atmosphere is great and i love the location as its around some stores. Definitely recommend!

Food was delicious this is my second time coming here and never disappoints. The waitress and host were really nice and attentive. The only thing is that the lady that’s was making the drinks was touching her teeth and was staring at us all the time, like really deep. But I definitely recommend this place

We’ve been coming to this place every now and then because it’s conveniently located and we enjoy their classic ramen. The flavor is good, though the portions have always felt a bit small for our taste. The staff has typically been just average, nothing remarkable, but fine. However, today the lady who attended us was extremely rude. That experience completely changed our opinion, and we definitely won’t be coming back.

Man this place is amazing. I got the Tanaka Classic ramen, pork gyoza, chicken bun and those crispy brussel sprouts with truffle oil. Every bite was just perfect. I had some leftovers and gave them to a homeless guy nearby. He loved it so much he asked what restaurant it was. I told him Tanaka Ramen. Saw him again a week later, he said he got a job cause he wants to come eat here himself one day. Food so good it literally changed a man’s life. I’ll be back for sure, gonna try the brown sugar bubble milk tea next time.

This was one of the most peaceful meals I have ever had. It has the most relaxing and soothing music with a beautiful ambiance. The food was good but lacked a little flavor, but I was fine with that when this is such a beautiful place. Bowl of Ramen seemed small, but I walked out feeling like I ate at a buffet. Simply walking into this restaurant made me know I made a good choice by all of the amazing decorations.

The staff are really accomodating to our requests. They are very nice and always have a smile on their faces. The food is awesome and tastes great, tbe staff being nice is really plus! These are the reasons we always come back to this restaurant!

3.5ish. I really wanted to love this place but it was just fine in my opinion. I really like the atmosphere of it, it's a cool everything anime spot with a massive display case. Seeing those collectibles was awesome. Service throughout was fast. My husband and I dined in on a Saturday and spent about an hour and a half there. We both ordered the Tanaka Classic ramen. Although we ordered the same dish, it was pretty inconsistent. Mine had somewhat of a kick while my husbands's was bland. If you look at my pics it seems like something was missing from my husband's dish, I think a chili oil or sauce. The pork was sliced very thin which then came out to be waaaay overcooked. The temperature of the egg was also inconsistent. It tasted like it was previously cooked, placed in the fridge, and then reheated in a microwave. The outside was warm while the center/yolk was cold. I thought the noodles were fine. Overall flavor for the ramen as a whole was OK. Could have been better and could have been worse.

Tried this place for the 1st time on a recommendation from a friend. Because of other reviews, we knew to specify spice level and our bowls were made to order. They were delicious. Food: Our bowls were steamy and fresh. Perfect for a chilled night. I had the tofu which remained intact with the noodles and vegetables. Noodles were perfection. All I can say is the food warmed us, heart and tummy. The atmosphere is quaint, cozy, and clean. Enough space between tables to have privacy and yet know others are around. Service was attentive and quick. We will definitely return!

Great flavors- love the tonkatsu ramen and Tanaka ramen and chicken karaage. Broth is very creamy.

For me, this spot is worth a special trip though there are increasingly more delicious ramen options in the Chicago suburbs. This spot does everything right from fast and friendly service to affordable prices to a varied menu, and super cool decorations on top of all that. Unlike some other spots that are decorated over the top -- the food here is a great draw even if it wasn't so social media worthy. I wish there was a spot closer to me, as the prices are quite reasonable for what you're getting. The offerings here I feel are just a little more premium than many of the ramen options you find in the suburbs yet priced at a similar level to a spot like Chicago Ramen. Everything about the ramen is done super well --- starting with a flavorful and rich pork broth that's just light enough to also drink alone. The chasu is large with just about the right amount of fat and very tender. The kikurage, spicy bean sprouts, green onion, garlic oil, and fried onion really match well with all the different components as well. I like how the seasoned egg is cooked just enough to have the perfect texture and delicious flavor, and find that this matches well with chili oil as well. As I don't like noodles that are super firm, I enjoyed the thick noodles here that had a great texture for slurping. Overall, one of the best ramen options in the area for me. Every component of it is done well and the prices are reasonable. The only drawback is that the seating can be limited during the busy dinner hours -- but the food is worth waiting for.

Some restaurants don't need reviews and Tanaka is one of them. In addition to those yummy apps we had Pork buns as well but we were too busy eating to take another pic. The food is amazing!!! I loved the decor, especially the Anime Resin statues!

The ramen I tried is not bad with its price, though I have seen better from other places. The staff is very helpful and friendly.

It was a cold January day, and I forgot to pack a lunch.... So on my lunch break I remembered seeing this place on Yelp and thought today was the day! Was only about 10 minutes from work so I thought I'd give it a shot, and I was really craving some Ramen or Soup on this cold day. Came in during lunch hours and it was actually packed for a weekday, but luckily i was able to get a seat. They have a cool Anime inspired theme & Pokémon Characters inside which is really neat! I told the server I was on my lunch break and she was able to get my order out super fast! I order the Spicy Chicken Ramen since I always order pork which I do love. But this ramen really hit the spot, the broth was perfect for me and not too spicy, but just right in my opinion. The bowl was fairly full and I ate that thing so quick! The server was nice enough to get the check quick out for me since I was in a rush to get back as well. Overall definitely one of my favorite ramen places I've tried recently, and will for sure be on my list again whenever I forget my lunch or just want some amazing ramen

Services was fast and easy. The pork bun was amazing. The calamari rings were great the sauce was so good. The Tanaka classic was good not bad. The Tanaka chicken was a good choice as well my only thing was the chicken was a bit strange at first but had a good vinegar after taste. Overall service was great . Appetizers were delicious. Ramen was good if you're just getting into trying ramen. personally the broth could use a little more flavor but overall great place.

The food was just ok. I ordered the vegetable ramen and my family got the beef ramen and some bowls. The rice tasted microwaved reportedly and the bowls were nothing special. The spicy on the ramen welled up to the top of the bowls and made us choke many times as we couldn't avoid it. Despite messing up my request to change the noodles in my ramen, the ramen was not bad. Overall we were not impressed with the food for the price. It was nothing memorable. Their boba tasted good but its hard to mess that up. The place was decorated really nicely, with many anime references, but it was clear they were taking a ton of parts from Asian culture without much mind to authenticity.

I order takeout almost every other week from Tanaka because the kids love the build your own tonkotsu broth with noodles. The other day we decided to dine in for the first time. It's pretty spacious with modern decor and attentive service (kid dropped a mochi and they came back with another free of charge saving us from a meltdown). The amazing kids meal that comes with kids ramen, 2 piece chicken karaage, a piece of candy and said mochi. All for 8.50! Love a good foodie deal. Also enjoyed the curry rice with karaage and garlic tonkotsu ramen. This place is tasty and consistent !

Really good service and quality food. Expanded menu is nice and their new beef options are really good too.

Tanaka Ramen was nothing BUT Delicious! I had the Tanaka spicy Ramen. My add ons were pork dumplings, chicken, a few eggs (totally obsessed) and a side of the pork gyoza. Food was great! Flavorful was on point! Wasn't able to get many pictures I was starving. lol. The scenery was great. Beautiful floral aligned the windows. Soft music very quiet place. Classy also. Nice and friendly staff. Food came out right away. They also had a sushi bar that sat kiddie corner from the dining area. Nice beautiful dining experience. Check em out!

The place is small. It is heavily decorated with anime for those who love anime. Ramen was delicious too. I got a chicken ramen. I do wish they would give an option on how you want to egg cooked.

Such a cute Pokémon theme for the restaurant, food was good, spicy but very flavorful. Waitress was also very kind and made sure to check in at all the perfect times.

Been here a couple of times now and got pretty consistent great quality and services. My kid liked the classic tonkatsu every time and I tied the different veggie Ramen. I like both veggie ramen soup however preferred Spicy creamy veg ramen a bit more. Even it is vegan broth but still have the creamy flavor as bone broth. And the noodles were mixed with Kale so I hope it is healthier. We also tried the Boba teas a couple of times which were pretty decent as well. Services were super nice and prompt. As this one is identified and liked by my kid, I'm sure we will be back soon.

Fantastic Raman. The broths whether chicken, vegetable or pork are so fresh and noodles and vegetables delicious. Best Chicken Wonton raman noodles I can find in SW burbs. Good service too. Although a bit cold in there. Could use to kick up the heat a bit. Dress warm in winter.

Tonaku Ramen. A $20 lesson in managing expectations. The broth tasted like someone whispered "umami" over a pot of lukewarm tap water. The wontons floated around like lost tourists - thin, bland, and confused about their purpose. And then, the final insult: an upcharge for a tablespoon of "spicy sauce," which, at best, could be described as a mildly annoyed condiment. I'm convinced this place is a conspiracy to test how little one can care about food while still charging for it. Would I go back? Only if I develop a taste for regret.

Stopped by for lunch and had their spicy Tanaka ramen with chicken and the classic Tanaka with sliced pork. The broth was savory, perfectly thick and flavorful in all of the right ways! We couldn't pass up the Chicken Buns with their fluffy bun and delicious sauce. The service is unexpectedly fast and great! The ambience offers anime figures and large Pokémon characters all around the restaurant. Highly recommend this place and will be back.

Ordered the Tanaka Spicy Miso and a Jasmine Green Tea. The ramen came out pretty quick and noodle had the right firmness to it. The rest of the ingredients were too salty even for a salt fiend like myself. I guess the ingredients in the ramen was just blah bc it was missing things I'm used to such as seaweed, corn, and some nice tender pork belly instead of ground pork. I was about 80% done with my ramen before my jasmine green tea finally came out. Seems most people will order a boba here bc it's not readily available like in CA so the wait is longer than for food. The tea was really fragrant and good so at least the wait was worth it. I sucked that down bc I was already thirsty from the ramen.

Such a cool restaurant, the decor inside is fun and vibrant. Lots of cool Japanese themed cartoons and toys are on display, some of which you can purchase. Even with the toys and display counters, it maintains a trendy and classy vibe. Ramen here is delicious! Highly recommend the spicy ramens. Other apps were average, wish the chicken karaage had more flavor as it was a bit bland. Calamari seemed to be a frozen brand. There is also a boba menu too and those are pretty good.

I'm back in searching for the perfect ramen bowl and I think I have found it with Tanaka Ramen! I have been disappointed in other western suburb ramen places so I stopped looking for a few years. However, Tanaka was what I was looking for. They had great service, lovely ambiance with plenty of parking. The ramen bowls were not huge but the flavor was amazing. I had the Spicy Tonkotsu while my family had the Classic and Vegetarian Dan Dan. I compared both pork ramen and preferred the spicy version better. It had a deeper richer soup without being overly salty. The pork flavor was strong and worked very well. The pork slices were very thin compared to other shops but was tasty. I wish there were more. The ramen was cooked to perfect texture. I rather not have to drive to Mitsuwa every time for my ramen and now I don't have to anymore. If I could also find a place with a simple traditional Tokyo style shoyu, I would be even happier.

I was in the mood for a piping hot Ramen as it's really cold in Chicago right now. I ordered a Spicy Vegan Ramen from Tanaka and I would say I was tad bit disappointed. I usually like to add a few more things like fried onions and mushrooms to my Ramen however the restaurant didn't allow to make any customizations. The Kale noodles were very sticky and I had a hard time to separate out the noodles. Other than the limitations stated above, the taste is decent. I don't know a lot of Ramen placed that offer Kale noodles, so I appreciate that. The fried tofu and chilly oil give a good flavor as well. I don't know if I will order from this place again as Chicago has a lot of Ramen options, but if I do, I don't think it'll be Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen!

Ordered a veg ramen here on a Saturday. The place was busy, almost at full capacity but still has a few tables for folks walking in. Staff were all pretty busy. Took some time before someone came and took my order. The ambiance is okay. I sat at their high table. Food was fine but nothing great. Definitely have had much better ramen, but this is the suburbs so maybe this will have to make do.

Food was decent, we only came here once. Plenty of seating. Didn't need a reservation, we just walked in. Located in the Bolingbrook Promenade mall where Bonchon is located. The chicken wings and ramen were all decent. I've been to many ramen places but this one wasn't memorable.

So we ended up going to Tanaka Ramen after getting a few recommendations from friends! Let me start by saying that the inside is SO CUTE! It felt like I was completely transported out of Bolingbrook! The staff was very helpful in the ordering process and we were helped right away! We ordered the pork gyoza and I got the chicken spicy ramen! The gyoza was SO DELICIOUS. The sauce went perfectly with the flavors inside the gyoza! It was soooo soft on the inside and had a crunch on the outside! Would definitely get again!! Next, I ordered the chicken spicy ramen, which in my opinion, was not THAT spicy. It comes in mild, spicy, and hot so I will definitely be ordering hot next time. The broth was hot but I did noticed that it got cold very quickly, which I was not a fan of. Not sure if that's because it was chilly that day or because of the bowls they were served in. In terms of the broth flavor, it was pretty good! But the chicken inside the ramen did not taste too fresh so I did not eat the chicken pieces at all. Everything else in the broth was pretty good though! Overall, it's a 4/5 experience!

More than well, Great food and great service. The ambiance added to the authenticity of the food they represent.

When this place first opened up, i was addicted to it, i had to stop myself from going so much, VERY good ramen with a big variety of them, offers drinks too, from smoothies to milk tea. The atmosphere is very cool too which you'll definitely like. The service is awesome, always there when you need them, food comes out quick with very good quality. They have recently put on new items on their menu which I thought was really cool. Definitely a place to come with friends, and family.

Delicious ramen Priced just right ($13 average per ramen) Clean restaurant (including bathrooms) Pokemon/Dragonball ambiance Food prepared quickly Service was efficient Highly recommended PS: Skip the shumai appetizer. It is store-bought.

My first time coming here and immediately server was extremely nice and quick with our orders but was not rushing it. Restaurant was clean and bathrooms were easy to locate. Most importantly the food was amazing and filling. I got the spicy chicken as well as the mango pineapple smoothie and both were so good!

First time here and loved it! Cute atmosphere. Great if you are grabbing a quick bite to eat alone. Ramen was delicious. Phone did not eat first!

Had an amazing sense today with the customer service at Tanaka Ramin. Was recovering from a sickness and was getting an Uber eats delivery. The driver never picked up my food so Im I called them asking if I could come and pick it up. by the time I got there, they said they would take me a fresh batch of soup for the inconvenience. They went above and beyond to make you feel special and take care of me. Food is exceptional, and the service was top-notch.

When you walk in the restaurant it is nicely decorated and perfect to impress your special someone. We were happy because there wasn't a wait. The waitress served us water right away and gave us a full five minutes to look over the menu. My husband and I both ordered the Spicy Tanaka Ramen it was really delicious and I like how they just added the spice to the top piece of Chashu. We scraped most of it off and put it on the (side plate) and just add it into the Ramen as we need it, and it worked out perfect. The broth was temperature hot and just the right amount of spice. It did not burn my tongue so I really enjoyed eating it this way. The soup came with 1/2 of a hard boiled egg. It was a little too hard boiled for my liking but it was still delicious. The size of the soup was a little smaller then we were used too as well but it was so delicious and flavorful that it was not an issue for us at all. The noodles had the perfect amount of chewy texture and yummy If you are in the area please consider eating here. It is in the strip mall right behind the Pro Bass Shop Store.

New ramen place with Ninja bubble tea? Sign me up!! The interior decor is legit and the server was friendly. I tried the garlic ramen and it has rich flavor and noodles was on point (not soggy at all) Tried a couple of their appetizers too and I highly recommend the soft shell crab Bao!!

Lots of variety on the menu to choose from (my dining companion chose the chicken ramen and I got the tonkotsu black garlic), but the noodles seemed slightly undercooked and he described the center of his egg as cold. The decor is very cute but music was aggressively loud; made it hard to talk. There are so many ramen options in this area that I would personally skip this one in the future.

Been wanting to try Tanaka Ramen for a bit since we like to hang around the area and was a bit disappointed by the food quality. I had the Takoyaki which was nothing special. They served wings which were dry and rubbery and the milk tea with tapioca had a very artificial taste and the tapioca wasn't fully cooked yet. Don't know if it's worth another try, but for now I'll have to say pass on Tanaka Ramen

I've been here three times now. This is arguably my wife's, favorite place. We've had a number of go to's throughout our marriage but this is something special. It's comfortable, it's open, it's simple, but it's magical. Get the spicy chicken ramen, it's hot, be smart, even the mild (so worth it!). Or get the Tanaka Rich Garlic, the reason we keep coming back. Next time, I'll get pictures.

Amazing food, service, and super fast cooking time. You can tell the broths are made with love and every time I go, my food is just absolutely delicious.

Combo ramen was pretty solid. Need to add maybe extra protein / mushrooms or a few other extras to make it great and bigger quantity

The noodles are delicious-- & the best part is the soup. The boba is also top tier can't describe. The staff there is also amazing. Last time I was here, they courteously replaced one of my dishes because of my mistake. The decorations are also top tier w/ the anime, pokemon, etc. A cutesy ramen bar that serves boba too. Recommend for geeks & people who want something new. Thank you!!

Get takeout from here often during the winter, and they never disappoint. Consistently serving great ramen, service with a smile each time.

Cool ambiance that is pokeman themed. Went here a girls lunch . The service was good and food really tasty.

Ordered delivery via GrubHub from here and was fantastic! Ordered the pork gyoza, shrimp shumai and Tanaka spicy miso ramen. All were tasty and warm when delivered. I can't wait to order from here again!

Stopped by yesterday with a friend for dinner here and we were immediately greeted and seated. The place was very busy and had a nice mix of people of all races and cultures. We ordered the Chicken Bun, Spicy Chicken Ramen, the brown sugar & vanilla milk bubble teas. Everything was great and tasted delicious We will for sure be coming back here soon whenever we crave some ramen

I'm not a Ramen connoisseur by any means. I want to get that out of the way. With that being said what I had was good. The fries (yes I order fries) were hot and good. Nothing special. I just wanted some fries. Now on to the main dish. The Ramen. The broth was very flavorful. The noodles were very good. The egg ok. The pork good bit great. But I really liked it. I got the spicy version which comes in mild and hot. I went mild. My nose was running it was just hot enough for me. But I don't do really spicy. So to your average person it might not be to hot. But it has some kick imo but it doesn't sacrifice flavor. I most definitely would go back to this establishment. P.S. The host was a nice guy.

If you're into Ramen this is a great place! I usually order the Chicken (Hot) it's flavorful and I usually add extra egg, broccoli, onion and replace the thin noodle to Thick noodle. The Boba Tea is good as well. Highly recommend if you're ever in the area and looking for a quick bite !

I thought the ramen here was just fine. It's not amazing, but it will do. And let's face it, there aren't many options in the area. I had the Tanaka Classic and I also tasted the Tanaka Spicy. Portion sizes are decent, broth flavor is a bit basic. I am biased though since I just moved out to the suburbs after living downtown for over a decade. I would have preferred the egg yolk a little more gooey, but there was a good amount of toppings. I've only ordered carryout, so I can't speak to the dining in experience. I'm sure I'll be back again since my husband is addicted to ramen.

MEMORIES OF MINATO CITY This restaurant in Bolingbrook has ramen so tasty, it's giving me flashbacks to Japan. Every so often (usually on cold/rainy days), my wife and I will make cup-a-noodles at home. With good ol' Maruchan as the base, we'll add chopped scallions, garlic, soft boil a couple eggs, and voila! Fancy ramen on a budget. When we're lacking the energy or ingredients to make it properly, however, we leave it to the pros. Tanaka Ramen is situated on the outskirts of the Bolingbrook Promenade. It's on the east side of the mall next to Ted's Montana Grill, which itself is across from Bass Pro Shop. This storefront used to be a bbq place called Porkchop that closed in 2018, and the current owners open their doors in spring 2020. We dined indoors on 9/30/20 and were seated right away. Colorful paper lanterns, giant glowing fish on the walls, 'karuta' (Samurai armor), and the ghostly characters from Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away can be spotted here. The vibes are 'modern izakaya', which I can best describe as a pub-like atmosphere with contemporary lighting. Gyoza (6pc for $8) were delicious fried potstickers w/shoyu dipping sauce, no big surprises there. The edamame ($5) were priced a little high for my liking, but they're a mainstay anytime we go out for sushi or ramen. My wife loved the steamed pork bun ($6) with braised chashu, cucumber, mixed greens and spicy mayo. They also offer a steamed bun w/chicken. As for entrées, both of ours tasted fantastic. The heat level of my spicy chicken ramen ($13) was not messing around; plenty of chili oil, spinach, green onions, corn, and soft egg in chicken broth w/thin noodles. They asked how 'hot' I wanted it, and they did everything short of setting the bowl on fire. SUGOI! I'd totally get this again. The Tanaka classic ($13) included chashu, bean sprouts, bamboo, kikurage, crispy onion, narutomaki (the white & pink swirly thing), and soft boiled egg in pork broth w/thick noodles. After an exhausting day, you could sense our mana gauges slowly refilling thanks to quality ramen. Never underestimate the power of a good meal! Bread = 4.5 Circuses = 4.5 I felt compelled to order the egg pudding ($3) for dessert. As we'd seen countless times in Japan, two gelatin animals -- a rabbit & a fish -- came in a wooden bowl of evaporated milk. Japanese puddings are subtle in custard flavor (not like the vanilla facepunch you get from a Snack Pack), and this was no different. Strange, sure, but 100% legit. Service was solid and the decor was fun. I'm bummed they don't serve alcohol, since I learned the hard way that nothing quenches the flames from spicy ramen better than an ice cold Asahi draft (if they offered a BYOB policy, I'd be all over that). * TL;DR * Tanaka seems to know what they're doing. As far as we could tell, their food is the real deal--we had ramen multiple times in Kyoto, Nagoya and Hiroshima, and the only major difference was the cost. Our experience here was comparable locally to Aodake Ramen (LaGrange) and Ramen-San River North (downtown Chicago), both equally good restaurants. Next time I'll try the karaage chicken, takoyaki (fried octopus balls), and the spicy pork ramen. I remember enough basic Japanese to say, ARIGATO GOZAIMASU! ありがとうございます

Really good and tasty food ... and friendly service. The food tastes fresh, and it's just a nice local eatery.

Probably some of the best ramen you can get in the bolingbrook area. The food is always delicious and worth the money. Service can be slow at times due to how busy this place gets. But worth the wait .