Chicago Ramen Lab

This location has really gone downhill. Tonight's visit was awful from the start. Honestly, we should have walked out when the first thing we noticed was the rancid meat smell. We've had a couple solid experiences here before so we thought we'd stay. Big mistake.We noticed the blood leaking from the refrigerator. That was probably what smelled. They took the ramen broth poured it in a wok to reheat it. The pork was still cold in the ramen. The taste of the ramen was sour, unlike any other time we've eaten here, so we stopped eating. Based on everything else we experienced , it may not have been safe. Hopefully they will get back to the quality they used to have. I just worry that the other locations are declining as well. Maybe opening too many locations caused a lack of focus for the individual sites. We will not be returning and may not return to any location.

Love the ramen sit up bar and that you could see in the kitchen! I've never been to this location before as they seem to have chains in the surrounding area. This particular location is small. Think galley way. A few tables to sit next to the window and a ramen bar over looking the kitchen. You place your order at the cash register and your food is delivered to the table. The menus on the wall and counter top are misleading though. It advertises different kinds of ramen and sushi but this location doesn't serve sushi and a few other kinds of ramen. (I don't remember the specific one) Why advertise sushi and a full menu if they don't serve it. We were told that we could drive 2 miles down the street to Schaumburg (Chicago Ramen Annex) for a full menu with more options. Kinda disappointed but now we know what to expect. Regardless, my white miso ramen was delicious! Broth was rich and bit salty for my liking, but the pork was tender. The noodles had a chewy bite! The bamboo was tough to chew though.. Kind felt like I was chewing on a twig. The gyoza filling was sub par, but points on the crispness of the wrapper! Also the dipping sauce that accompanied the gyoza was yum yum! I would definitely come back here for a quick bite and during non peak hours so I'm not rubbing elbows with others.

Fantastic place. There's only bar space to sit here, so if you're looking for a table for a group, this is not the place. Takeout is a great option and prices are very fair.They have several options for ramen. I got the red miso ramen and it was so good. Had a little bit of spice and great, deep flavor. THICK broth, so if you like that, get the red miso. The only thing was I don't think the noodles were ramen noodles, they seemed a little wide, almost like fettuccine.Since you sit at the bar, the kitchen is right in front of you. Because of this, and the size of the shop, it can get a little hot. This is amplified by the heat of the ramen, so you will end up sweating. I can image this place being wonderful in the winter.

I was driving through town and Chicago Ramen Lab happened to be one of the very few non-chain restaurants open late. I am so happy we found it! It is very cozy and clean inside. There are a few two-people tables and bar seating. I always love when the kitchen is open since it shows the kitchen has nothing to hide.I tried the shrimp wonton ramen which was so good! It is a very filling/decent sized portion of food for the price too! The service was also great. The employee taking our order was very friendly and helpful and they cleaned up our table for us at the end.

I am aware of the four to five star ratings of this place so the 4 of us stopped by to try the place. Despite the 4 to 5 star ratings of other people, this place was not for me. The broth was too oily. The place is so small. It will probably fit 12 people (2 tables of four people in each table, and a bar area). I appreciate that one can see the kitchen as they prepare food. However, that left us smelling like food when we left. The guy who took our order was nice. The rest of the staff were "meh". They had some items listed on the menu, but when we asked for it, the guy said that it was not available in their restaurant. Instead, it was available in their sister restaurant, which was a few miles down the street. I wish they did not list that item on the menu. It confuses customers. The inside of the restaurants was not clean.Overall: a 1 star our of 5 for me. Will most likely not go back.

We actually love coming here instead of Chicago Ramen because there's less of a crowd than Chicago Ramen! The first time, I got the regular chicken ramen and added spices after. It was the perfect amount of spicy. The second time, I got it spicy and then mixed the whole dollop of spices in and it was so spicy, but sooooo good. I love that the broth is so light and flavor. Then that spiciness hits you, but makes you come back for more. It's usually quieter here and the staff will check up on you every so often.

I explored the neighborhood on Labor Day and ended up at this ramen location. I've been to two of their other locations, but it was my first time at this one. They have a spacious parking space, but the inside is small. It's perfect for solo dining or two but not for groups. It's more of a take-out style. I got the spicy tsukemen with egg, which I've tried at other locations. It's so good. The ramen had a great chewy texture. The egg was cooked perfectly. The flavor of the broth was delicious. The first bite brought me back to life, and all the bites after gave me joy in living again. I loved how the guy came over to check-in. I don't know if the AC was broken, but it was pretty toasty inside.

Egg cooked very nicely, noodles have a good texture. Spices in the side with the to go order are a nice touch. Soft shell crab side was very nice. Cools off easy when to-go, but still very good.Only downsides how cramped it is inside. Between the seating, people ordering and to-go orders there is very little room inside. Wish they had a way to have people wait outside. It was at capacity and I only see this place getting more popular as time goes on.

this restaurant is in a plaza next to la michoacana and ding tea.we got take out here and service was quick and friendly and to my recollection there are no tables or chairs to dine in.the container looked small at first upon opening up our food but i was left feeling satisfied after finishing it. it was delicious! i got both the red and white miso as these seemed to be the most popular. i felt the red miso soup base was way more flavorful than white but preferred the noodles in the white miso vs the red. i thought the dishes were both excellent and will definitely be coming here more often!

More casual place than Chicago Ramen itself. Tsukemen tasted similar to Tsukemen from Chicago Ramen. I liked the hot chili pepper ramen a lot. It was like Japanese style DanDan noodle with soup. The minced pork was a bit spicy, a bit numb, and with a lot of sesame paste flavor. This location focuses on take out. Even you dine in, you will get taken out settings. Just a few tables with a couple of bar seat.I'll come back and I recommend it.