Ekiben Japanese Kitchen
Ekiben Japanese Kitchen
Pink Ranger Roll
Ekiben Shrimp Rock
ONIGIRI
Orange Ranger Roll
a woman sitting at a table in a restaurant
Onigiri "Tuna Creamy"
a variety of asian food on plates
Spaghetti Spicy Basil and Onigiri
Salmon saap
Spicy Shrimp Onigiri, Spicy Tuna Onigiri
Kutsu Don (Pork or Chicken)
Pick 3 Onigiri
Red Ranger roll
Salmon Zaap
interior
Udon Panang curry
Tokyo Don
Kani Mentaiko and Spicy Tuna Onigiri
sushi and sashimi, sushi, sashimi, food
Lunch special. Wakame Sesame Rice Ball, Spicy Octopus Rice Ball, and Salmon Teriyaki Rice Ball
mussels, food, oysters and mussels, oysters, shellfish
Remen (Cold Noodle)
Sweet potato onigiri Spicy tuna onigiri Spicy salmon onigiri
food, chicken wings and fried chicken
Hannah E.
Mar 7, 2024
Ekiben is named after the bento you get at train stations in Japan to eat on your journey. It has a broader menu than the average train bento, and an occasional Thai twist.My most recent trip to Japan was this past November, and I was stunned as always by what Japan manages to make work as pre-made bento. Ekiben prepares your food fresh and has a full kitchen and even then, sadly, it wasn't as good as Japan's train food.It was fine. The udon noodles were perfectly chewy, in a mild and unassuming broth with some seaweed and green onions. Pleasant on a cold day. The mixed tempura was a massive portion (I couldn't finish it) of shrimp, broccoli, sweet potato, red pepper, and mushrooms. While the batter was crispy on the outside, it was a little heavy and spongy because of its thickness, and was undersalted, especially since it didn't come with any tempura dipping sauce or shichimi togarashi.It also grates to spend $17 on a dish that costs $4 in Japan, which people think is such an expensive country (it isn't, at least not for food) but I suppose that can't really be helped with inflation here being what it is.
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Tracy L.
May 6, 2024
Quality for the price is aligned. Fortunately, each Onigiri was only $5.90, so the price was cheap enough they didn't disappoint. We didn't have high expectations, so they were decent. We were hoping the Spicy Tuna would be good, so we each got two, but the Spicy Shrimp actually was better.
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Scott K.
Dec 9, 2023
I came twice today, and I appreciated the service and food quality. I left my wallet here, and they called me to get it back. The onigiri was really good! I only had pre-prepared onigiri in the past, and I definitely noticed a difference. I recommend the great deal for lunch (2 for $9.50, 3 for $12.50). I got the spicy tuna and spicy salmon onigiri--wasn't spicy at all, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless.I also came back for dinner and got the Spaghetti cream mentaiko and the tuna creamy onigiri. Among the 4 onigiri I tried, I liked the tuna creamy the most. Most interesting mix of textures and flavors.The spaghetti was solid, although a bit too rich for me with the onigiri. I'd rather have gotten a roll next time!
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Steve B.
Oct 31, 2023
Ekiben, a unique spot. Let me get into it! The food here was great. My friend and I really like the crispiness of the mixed tempura. The sake toro really is worth a try as well. The sushi was pretty good and I highly liked each one that we got. The service was good initially but, as more people same it the service wasn't as good. This wasn't too bad as my friend and I really enjoyed the food. The atmosphere or ambiance like I call it was pleasant. Really clean and everything looked new since. The lighting inside the shop was very modern at least to me. Overall, I would say give the fried tempura and the fatty salmon a try!
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Helen H.
Oct 2, 2023
I was excited to see a new restaurant in north center! I thought it was going to be only Japanese dishes, but the menu had several Thai as well.I wanted to try something new and went with Remen which are cold noodles. It was definitely different type of noodles. You should mix the ingredients well. The flavor comes mainly from the toppings especially the little orange balls (I think they're fish eggs). So try to get a little of everything in each bite for the best flavor. It wasn't my type of noodles I like, but I'm glad I tried it. Felt like a nice, light noodle dish perfect for the summer. Finished the whole bowl!I originally wanted to try the onigiri options, but I was enticed by the idea of trying something different. I'd come back to try them out!
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Cludia O.
Feb 20, 2024
A very cozy place with great service. The food is delicious. I had the pink ranger and found it to be a very unique delicious flavor. I certainly will come back.
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Nancy E.
Dec 6, 2023
Best Onigiri I can find in Chicago!!! Very best customer service very friendly service too. My favorite is the spicy shrimp and their Japanese coffee!!!
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K W.
Jul 8, 2024
Delicious sushi and miso soup. Good Service. Nice atmosphere. We saw the great reviews and we were pleased.
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C C.
Mar 5, 2024
I'm obsessed with the Tokyo Don and onigiris from here. I usually do take out. I dined in once and was not a fan of the ambiance. It felt really shabby with their flooring falling apart. They're always friendly. Great addition to the neighborhood.
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Ericka L.
Apr 28, 2024
Delicious food, fantastic service and not expensive at all. Very clean and a few steps from Irving Park brown line.
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