The 10 best ramen shops in Chicago

This list covers the 10 ramen shops worth planning a meal around in Chicago and the nearby suburbs, for anyone who wants to know which bowl to order and how to get a seat. Three of the top entries are in Logan Square, and three spots go to the northwest suburbs, including a supermarket food court and a miso specialist in Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect.

The list favors shops that make their own noodles or long-simmered broths and have held their place on local rankings, and the lineup mixes a reservation that books out weeks ahead with a food court counter where you order at the register. Among the shops that post prices, full-size bowls run from $12 to $32.95, and most cost $14 to $20. One shop adds a 20% service charge in place of tips.

How we chose

Agreement among independent sources set the order. Shops near the top of both The Infatuation’s January 2026 ramen guide and Time Out Chicago’s September 2025 list, with reviews or reporting from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago magazine, Block Club Chicago, ABC7 or the Daily Herald, rank highest. National honors and years in business broke ties. Each shop was confirmed open in September 2026, and chains with several locations appear once, at a single address.

Hours and prices below come from each business and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.

Akahoshi Ramen

Mike Satinover spent years as the internet’s Ramen Lord before opening Akahoshi Ramen in Logan Square in November 2023, and the shop has drawn national attention ever since. Every soup, seasoning and noodle is made in-house. Order the Akahoshi Miso ($19.75), a Sapporo-style bowl with crinkly noodles and plenty of lard, or the lighter Midwest Shoyu ($19.50), a clear chicken soup with straight noodles made from Midwest wheat. Akahoshi takes the top spot because The Infatuation and Time Out Chicago both rank the shop first. For a walk-in, aim for a weekday between 5 and 7 p.m., when tables are usually open right away.

Hours: Tue-Sat 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Address: 2340 N California Ave, Suite B, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Bon Appétit named Akahoshi one of the 20 best new restaurants of 2024, and the shop made The New York Times’ 2025 list of the 25 best restaurants in Chicago.
• Akahoshi placed No. 20 on Chicago magazine’s August 2026 list of the city’s 50 best restaurants.
• The Chicago Tribune gave the shop three stars, meaning excellent, in an April 2024 review.
• Reservations release online on a rolling 42-day window at noon Central time, and every check carries a 20% service charge in place of tips.

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Ramen Wasabi

Sixteen years is a long run for any restaurant, and Ramen Wasabi has been ladling a 45-hour Berkshire pork broth on Milwaukee Avenue since 2010. The Original Tonkotsu, $19 on the shop’s online menu, pairs that creamy broth with springy noodles, pork belly, a soft-boiled egg and marinated bamboo shoots. The Spicy Roasted Garlic Miso ($20) is the pick for more heat. Wasabi ranks second on staying power: the shop still lands near the top of both current ramen lists from The Infatuation and Time Out Chicago. Happy hour runs 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

Hours: Lunch Tue-Sun noon to 3:30 p.m.; dinner Tue-Thu 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fri-Sat 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sun 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Address: 2101 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• The Michelin Guide included Ramen Wasabi in a September 2021 roundup of the best Japanese restaurants in Chicago.
• Axios Chicago staff picked the Original Tonkotsu, then $17, in a March 2023 ramen roundup.
• The online menu lists a Vegan Tan Tan Men for $18 next to pork-based standards such as the Hakata Classic, also $18.
• The Chicago Tribune’s Cheap Eater column covered Wasabi in February 2014.

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Monster Ramen

Beef bones, not pork, anchor the broth at Monster Ramen, the Fullerton Avenue shop Katie Dong opened in 2022 after six years managing a ramen restaurant in Chinatown. Gyukotsu, the Japanese beef-bone style, is the specialty, and fresh noodles come from the shop’s own noodle lab. The House Shoyu costs $16.95, while The Monster, loaded with wagyu, runs $32.95. Monster ranks third because The Infatuation and Time Out Chicago both place the shop in their top five, and no other shop in the top 10 builds a menu around beef. Vegetarians have two bowls to choose from: the Miso Yasai and a plant-based shoyu.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 3435 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Block Club Chicago reported that Dong signed the lease in 2020 and that pandemic delays pushed the opening back two years.
• Dong grew up eating beef noodle soup in Nanjing, China, and moved to Chicago at 14.
• The Miso Wagyu costs $26.95 and the Shio Tokusei $21.95 on the shop’s own menu.
• The Infatuation ranked Monster second in the city in January 2026, behind only Akahoshi.

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High Five Ramen

Finding High Five Ramen is part of the fun: a staircase inside the barbecue restaurant at 112 N. Green St. leads down to a dark, loud room that The Infatuation puts at about 15 seats. There are no reservations, so expect a wait. The tonkotsu ($19.99) is a pork and miso broth with black garlic oil, and every bowl comes at full, half or quarter spice, or none. High Five ranks fourth for heat and consistency, placing third on Time Out Chicago’s September 2025 list and fifth in The Infatuation’s January 2026 guide. Come alone or as a pair; groups wait longest.

Hours: Mon-Thu 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Fri 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat noon to 11 p.m.; Sun noon to 10:30 p.m.

Address: 112 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607

Why they made the list

• The menu describes the $2.99 Kanabo Spice add-on as “face-numbing, tear-jerking, unbearable spice.”
• The Maitake bowl ($18.99) swaps in a mushroom miso broth for diners avoiding pork.
• Valet parking runs at 114 N. Green St. from 3:45 p.m. on weekdays.
• The basement room cannot fit strollers, and there are no high chairs or booster seats.

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Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

A food court counter makes the top five. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka started as a nine-seat shio ramen shop in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in 1988, and the Arlington Heights branch sits inside Mitsuwa Marketplace, the Japanese supermarket on Algonquin Road. The specialty is shio ramen in a mild white tonkotsu broth with a small pickled plum on top. Time Out Chicago ranked Santouka second in the area in September 2025, the highest spot for any suburban shop on that list, and suggests ordering any bowl char siu style, with extra roast pork. Plan on an early dinner, since the ramen counter shuts down around 7 p.m.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 100 E Algonquin Rd, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 (inside Mitsuwa Marketplace)

Why they made the list

• Chicago magazine named the Mitsuwa Marketplace food court one of the 50 best restaurants in Chicago in August 2024.
• Santouka’s spicy miso ramen gets its kick from three kinds of chili peppers blended into the miso sauce.
• Bowls are ordered at the counter and eaten at shared food court tables, so there is nothing to book.
• Mitsuwa’s Arlington Heights store opened in September 1991 and updated the food court during a 2019 renovation.

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Menya Goku

Tantanmen is the reason to head to Menya Goku, a small North Center shop on Montrose Avenue from the team behind Ramen Wasabi. The Goku Tan Tan Men ($20) starts with a long-simmered tonkotsu broth, adds miso-seasoned Berkshire pork, bok choy and sesame, and finishes with a tingle of Sichuan peppercorn. The Modern Shoyu ($20), built on chicken stock and dashi, is the gentler choice. Menya Goku sits sixth because The Infatuation ranks the shop fourth and Time Out Chicago eighth, close behind the Logan Square sibling. Counter seats and a few small booths make this a better pick for one or two people than for a group.

Hours: Tue-Thu 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sun-Mon

Address: 2207 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Why they made the list

• ABC7 Chicago reported in July 2020 that the tantanmen broth simmers for 48 hours.
• The Vegan Miso Ramen costs $18 and the Goku Tonkotsu $19 on the online menu.
• The kitchen serves dinner only, five nights a week.
• Takeout orders go through the shop’s online ordering page.

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Chicago Ramen

Tsukemen, cold noodles dipped into a thick, hot broth served on the side, is the draw at Chicago Ramen, which chef Kenta Ikehata opened on Oakton Street in Des Plaines in 2020. Ikehata spent more than seven years at a Tokyo ramen shop and then opened that brand’s first U.S. location in Los Angeles. The tsukemen lists at $13.95 on the Des Plaines online menu, and the white miso ramen covers anyone who wants soup. Chicago Ramen ranks seventh as the area’s tsukemen specialist; Time Out Chicago’s September 2025 guide lists the shop sixth. Once the noodles are gone, add hot water to turn the dipping broth into soup.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 578 E Oakton St, Des Plaines, IL 60018

Why they made the list

• The Daily Herald reported in July 2024 that Ikehata came to the U.S. in 2011 to open the Los Angeles shop.
• An August 2023 Time Out Chicago review called the tsukemen the best version of the dish the writers had tried.
• Every ramen and tsukemen bowl on the Des Plaines online menu is $13.95, and a kids ramen is $8.
• Des Plaines is the original location, and Ikehata’s company now runs six more shops under the Chicago Ramen name across the suburbs.

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Rudy’s Ramen

Tonkotsu is nearly the whole story at Rudy’s Ramen, a Noble Square shop on Milwaukee Avenue that opened in 2023. The pork broth cooks for two days and aims for depth without heavy salt. The house Tonkotsu ($19.49) comes with char siu, a marinated egg, bamboo shoots, black mushrooms and thin noodles. Time Out Chicago reports that the owner left a career in auditing to chase a better bowl. Rudy’s ranks eighth for a short menu done well, with spots on both The Infatuation’s and Time Out Chicago’s current lists. Lunch is the easy window: the doors open at 11:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

Hours: Mon-Thu 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Address: 1146 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Why they made the list

• Block Club Chicago covered the new Noble Square shop in August 2023.
• The tonkotsu comes in classic, low-salt and spicy versions, according to Time Out Chicago.
• The Infatuation points vegetarians to the mushroom ramen.
• Pickup, delivery and catering orders run through the shop’s website.

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Ramen Misoya

Miso is the whole menu at Ramen Misoya, a Japanese chain whose Mount Prospect shop sits on Busse Road. Pick from three regional misos: rich Hokkaido, lighter and slightly sweet Tokyo, or deep, sharp Ise. The best-selling Hokkaido Cha-Shu Ramen ($21.30) adds three slices of miso-marinated pork belly, and Hokkaido bowls also come topped with corn and two French fries. Misoya ranks ninth for a focused menu and fair prices, with a plain Hokkaido bowl at $14.90; Time Out Chicago lists the shop seventh in the area. Every ramen can be made vegetarian with kelp broth, though the vegetarian versions skip the egg.

Hours: Daily 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Address: 1584 Busse Rd, Mount Prospect, IL 60056

Why they made the list

• The lowest-priced ramen on the menu is the vegetarian Ise Normal at $14.
• Extra toppings include a miso egg for $1.90 and a pat of butter for $1.
• Pickup orders are taken daily starting at 11:30 a.m.
• Ramen Misoya also runs a location in New York.

See the full directory listing

TNT Ramen

South Chicago had no ramen shop until TNT Ramen opened on Commercial Avenue in 2025, as Block Club Chicago reported that August. Noodles are made in-house, and the menu stays short: tonkotsu ($14), beef ($15), chicken paitan ($13) and vegetable ($12). TNT closes out the top 10 for careful bowls at low prices on the Southeast Side, far from the other nine shops, which sit on the North and West sides and in the northwest suburbs. The dining room is roomy, so walk-ins are easy, and the $18 midday deal (any ramen, karaage and a drink) runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Hours: Wed-Sun 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Mon-Tue

Address: 8929 S Commercial Ave, Chicago, IL 60617

Why they made the list

• The Infatuation reviewed TNT in January 2026 and named the beef shoyu, with thin noodles, as the favorite bowl.
• Chicken karaage costs $9, and vanilla soft serve with rotating toppings is $4.
• A seasonal cold sesame ramen is on the menu at $15.
• The team works with local urban growers, according to the shop’s website.

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Also worth knowing

For ramen that takes detours, Oiistar on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park makes thin Hakata-style noodles in-house and runs a dozen bowls, from the chipotle-laced Pozolmen ($20) to the Musclemen ($23.40), made with mussels and spicy bonito miso. Reservations are taken only for parties of six or more, by phone.

A few blocks west of High Five, Gyuro Ramen on Aberdeen Street is the West Loop fallback when the basement line is long. The shop specializes in gyukotsu beef-bone broth, makes noodles daily with imported Japanese flour and seats walk-ins only.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best ramen in Chicago right now?

Akahoshi Ramen in Logan Square tops this list and ranks first with both The Infatuation and Time Out Chicago. Bon Appétit named Akahoshi one of the best new restaurants of 2024, and Chicago magazine ranked the shop No. 20 among the city’s 50 best restaurants in August 2026. Start with the Akahoshi Miso, $19.75.

Do Chicago ramen shops take reservations?

Some do. Akahoshi Ramen releases tables on a rolling 42-day window at noon Central time and keeps about half the room for walk-ins. High Five Ramen and Gyuro Ramen seat walk-ins only, and Oiistar books only parties of six or more, by phone.

Where can I find good ramen in the northwest suburbs?

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka runs a counter in the Mitsuwa Marketplace food court in Arlington Heights, and Ramen Misoya in Mount Prospect builds every bowl around miso, with a plain Hokkaido bowl at $14.90. For tsukemen, Chicago Ramen on Oakton Street in Des Plaines is the original shop from chef Kenta Ikehata.

See a place we missed or a detail that has changed? Send us a correction.