Ah, ramen. For many of us, it’s an easy meal that was always there for us during our broke college days or whenever we needed a quick fix of warm, sodium-laden goodness. There’s a lot more to these noodles, though, than what you’ll find in the instant varieties at your local supermarket. And if you’re ready to dig into this tasty foodie scene, the Windy City has you covered. Here’s where to get your ramen fix the next time you’re in Chicago.
Slurping Turtle
With a name like Slurping Turtle, you can rest assured you’ll be doing lots of slurping while chowing down on chef Takashi Yagihashi’s house-made noodles. Ramen here is served in variations like the spicy Tan Tan Men Ramen (with pork meatballs, pork chashu and pork miso), Tonkatsu with pork chashu and bok choy, and a vegetarian-friendly Tofu Mushroom Ramen. Don’t forget to submit your very own slurp shot to make the Slurping Turtle’s online gallery.
Yusho
When a restaurant goes as far as to host monthly ramen cook-offs with local chefs, you know the noodles are going to be good. But even if you can’t drop by Chicago’s Yusho to taste test during the cook-off, you can still enjoy ramen bowls like the Logan Poser, with crispy pig’s tail and hen egg, or the Grilled Shrimp Ramen with bonito and kimchi.
Union Sushi
Fresh house-made noodles set the tone for some of Chicago’s most unforgettable ramen at Union Sushi, where you have your choice of spicy pigtail, chicken, short rib or mushroom ramen bowls.
Ani
Formerly Arami GO!, Ani is your best bet for a steaming bowl of traditional ramen that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Best of all, you can have your choice of options like pork belly miso and lemongrass ramen delivered right to your hotel room.
Buzz Bar
Who says ramen can’t be a finger food? Forget the chopsticks at Buzz Bar, a recent addition to the Chicago dining scene where you can dig into the Ramen Kobe burger, made with kobe beef, aged cheddar, fried egg, sriracha, sun-dried tomatoes and arugula on a ramen noodle bun.
Where’s your favorite place for a warm bowl of ramen? Let us know in the comments!
(Main image: Choose Chicago)
