Chicago Ramen Annex

Went during Memorial Day at around 4:15pm and I was surprised at how busy it was. There's around 8 tables and every table was seated except one- it is quite a small restaurant. There was also only one server so the service was a little slow but understandable. I thought the ramen was a little pricey but it was good! I like how there's a book that helps you choose the ramen you want based on how thick you like your broth. I like a lighter brother so I opted for the chicken ramen and it was great! My mom got the spicy white miso ramen and said it was a little salty. The best dish was the chicken karaage!

We had read about Chicago Ramen for sometime and decided it was time to try it. We drove up to Chicago Ramen Annex and we stepped into a modern restaurant - a bit small - but clean and tidy and nicely decorated. A nice young gentleman greeted us, brought the extensive menus, and we began our journey into their offerings.Now, hub-hub knows his ramen - being from Hokkaido, after all, the man KNOWS what he likes. His go-to is Santouka at Mitsuwa Marketplace a short distance away- and as it's his hometown ramen, all other ramen is measured against this high bar.Now, when we moved to Schaumburg 7 1/2 months ago, he gave me three tries to find good local Ramen restaurants. This was one of my 3 tries - and the chef's experience in Tokyo and on the US West Coast gave me reason for hope - that this Ramen would be acceptable to my husband! So - we began by ordering the gyoza - which came fried and with what appears to be fry sauce. No, we normally prefer Gyoza that is pan fried in water and not fried - but one bite with the delicious dipping sauce turned us into believers! I am the sake expert in the house, and we ended up ordering the house, hot sake. - Unfortunately, the brand of sake I ordered was out of stock - boo! And when the hot sake was delivered, it came in a beautiful tiny teapot with tiny teacups. Beautiful, but my hubby was confused because sake should not be served in a teapot. Still, it was cute - and it turned out really well - the house sake was absolutely perfect!Hubby tried the Jiro Ramen with egg. At first he wasn't sure of the taste, but the more he ate the more he loved it. He announced - with some fanfare - that we will return and that it was really good tasting Ramen.! Yay! I chose the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen - the taste was definitely acceptable, and the Chashu - for both of us - was amazingly thick and very lightly, but tastefully, seasoned - a pure win!OK. The reason for the four stars has nothing to do with the food. We felt sorry for the young man who served us because he had a young female helper who was not helping. He did the greeting - took the orders - did the cooking and serving - as well as presenting the bill at the end of the meal. She seemed to be mere decoration and did not provide much help to him at all - thus the service was slower than it should have been. We truly felt sorry for him as he was working his butt off. We don't know if they were short staffed because it was a Tuesday night - or if she was new - but it was obvious that he was doing all the work. He deserves a raise! And we did enjoy his service and tipped accordingly! We hope to see that he has good coworkers with him next time we come. And we will return- yes!

Another great Chicago Ramen spot! We're getting spoiled in the Chicago suburbs with an abundance of delicious Japanese food options and the red miso ramen delivers here with delicious slurpy noodles, a flavorful but not overwhelming broth, and just the right amount of spiciness. This location also seems to have a bit more hot food options than some of the other locations I've seen nearby as well. The pork cutlet curry is super delicious with a mix of tender pork and crispy breading in a curry that's just the right amount of sweet, savory, and spicy. This reminds me a bit of the addictive food court pork cutlet curry options available in Hong Kong. The spicy chicken karaage is loaded with flavor and a bit more spicy than it first appears. The marination is done well though and this is quite flavorful. The takoyaki is also done quite well with a generous amount of bonito shavings on top and a slightly molten center. This is a good version to introduce others to this delicious food though I would've preferred a little more sauce on the top.Service here is super friendly and frequent. Even when they're busy they can serve everyone at a reasonable pace. The interior itself is nice and cozy and a good size to keep a more intimate ambiance. Parking is fairly easy in this shopping center as it typically doesn't get extremely busy.Overall, any of the Chicago Ramen spots are a solid option to enjoy some delicious Japanese food (definitely get the red miso ramen), and this location continues the standard of excellence.

Today, Chicago Ramen Annex forgot the pork in the Jiro ramen. After letting the waiter know, something happened and 25-30 minutes later, it's still not here. It was also hard to track down the waiter to ask for it again. This particular waiter does not seem to care at all about his job.

Delicious highly recommended. The spicy red ramen is JUUUUUST PERFECT. Spicy enough for the flavor and taste of the spices.

I've had ramen before, but this is my first time at this particular ramen spot. When I saw that they offered an 'otaku level' ramen, I knew I had to give it a try. I'm glad to report that it did not disappoint!

Visited here a little pass 12am half packed with other hungry hungry ramen seekers! Vibe was a live! My first time trying the Jiro style ramen, it didn't disappoint, the broth a little more fatty and ramen a little more thick! Yummy. Always have to order a side of Kim Chi. Coming back to try those Japanese Hot Dogs!!!

Was really hyped to finally try a Chicago Ramen spot, but was kind of let down. Choices were limited compared to what I'm used to. I had the spicy red miso ramen which was alright. Was hoping to get a tankatsu but didn't see an option on the menu. Unfortunately our server got a couple of our orders wrong, which wasn't a big deal if she didn't have one headphone in her ear. As a former server I usually give the benefit of the doubt, but there was no excuse here. Hoping for better experiences at other Chicago Ramens.

Seriously some of the best ramen we've ever had! We decided to come to Chicago Ramen late one night because it's open until 2 am and did not regret it. The servers were extremely kind and helpful. They provided excellent recommendations and were very knowledgeable of the menu. The restaurant itself was very clean and well lit. We ordered the tonkotsu ramen with egg and red miso ramen with egg. Both bowls were equally delicious. The red miso ramen was definitely more rich, heavy, and fatty (in the best way possible.) The red miso ramen comes with thick noodles while the tonkotsu comes with thin noodles. The toppings are slightly different as well. Both broths are very flavorful and slightly salty. We also got the chicken karaage, which was excellent. This was a wonderful meal, and we will definitely be back!

One of the BEST veggie ramens in the Chicagoland area! First of all, the portions are huge- I never end up finishing mine, so it's perfect for sharing. They load the bowl with noodles and veggies and the spicy sauce is a great addition. Totally elevates the flavor of the broth. I also appreciate how fresh minced garlic, additional hot sauce, and other toppings are available at the table. I've been to two different locations and the food has been excellent.