Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

They're located inside the Japanese grocery store. That makes it convenient for shopping and dining in the same area. We got there Saturday around 2pm and they already posted a sign that they are out of soup and tell people to come back after 4pm. So we left and tried to get in the next day when they open. I got there 15 mins before they open. There are 10 people in front of me staying in line already. It's worth the wait. I ordered the small salt ramen. The portion is right for me coz I already had a big breakfast. Broth is tasty and not super salty. Noodles are perfect. It's a little chewy and not overcooked.

Located in the Mitsuwa Marketplace food court, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka always came across as a little more "precious" than the other vendors in the food court - which are also all very good! Hokkaido definitely has the heritage and history and the lines are often long. Depending on the time of day, be prepared for a little wait and to jockey for an available table at the crowded food court.I ordered the Miso Ramen D with side of char siu. The portion was way large... as usual, I ordered a little too much. The broth is a umami bomb and is gives the impression that it is a touch creamy. The ramen is well-cooked and plentiful. The char siu side also strong salty/umami - but I couldn't finish it all... I left with a takeout container and will have to try again in the future with a more cooperative stomach!

While my son decided to eat sushi from inside the market, the wife and I both opted for some ramen from Santouka. The line was t very long, and the ordering system may seem overwhelming at first, but it's actually quite simple. Unfortunately, the waiting time was a lot longer. It was definitely worth the wait. I ordered their Salt Char Siu Ramen. The noodles were a little thin, but otherwise a near perfect dish. They were perfectly cooked and the pork was very tender. The broth was so flavorful, everything went so perfect together. In also ordered a side of Hanjuku tamago (soft-boiled egg) to put in my brother and it also tasted great. Will definitely want to return next time I'm in the area.

I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of this place considering it's located inside of a grocery store. the noodles definitely weren't the freshest, but for a cheap, quick meal, this place was pretty solid. i got the spiciest option and they had extra chili powder and chili oil up front when you pick up your food. i don't think i would come here again, but since it was close to o hare, i just came here before dropping somebody off for a flight.

This place used to be so good, my favorite ramen in Chicago. Unfortunately now the food quality and execution have fallen and I no longer feel the need to make the drive out from the city. There are too many other better ramen places around. The bamboo shoots were extremely salty therefore inedible. The pork slices were primarily fat/skin. The broth had a burnt aftertaste. The toppings were very skimpy. So sad!

We stopped here for another quick lunch and this time we tried the Ramen place! I ordered the Miso Ramen medium size and it was very tasty and the broth was really good, had a lot of flavor and the noodles were cooked just right! My husband ordered the soy sauce ramen combo, which came with a hard boil egg and a bowl of rice with chopped up char siu! The rice bowl was kinda plain, needed some sauce! I have to give the service a 5 star, the staff were really friendly and helpful! I will definitely go back and try other ramen bowls!

Santouka is a Japanese ramen chain in which they're known for their 20-hour simmered pork bone broth.I usually get the Cha-Shu Gohan Combo, which comes with a small bowl or ramen of your choice and a small cha-shu gohan. For the ramen, I go for the Tonkotsu Kara Miso Ramen, which is a miso-based broth with a hint of spiciness - sometimes, the broth is super creamy and savory with the perfect amount of spice; other times, it can be a bit thin in consistency and not as flavorful. The Cha-Shu Gohan is another regular order - this rice bowl is topped with braised pork belly, and when it's prepared properly, the small pulled pieces of pork is tasty and saucy, which is enough to mix and coat the rest of the rice. Other times, the pork is less than generous in the amount and lacking the sauce.Located at the food courts located inside Mitsuwa.+located inside Mitsuwa at their food court+plenty of parking in private lot

I wasn't impressed with the ramen here at all. I believe I ordered the shio ramen (mild salt flavor), which was recommended by the staff, but it seriously lacked flavor. The ramen here was on some lists for best ramen in Chicago, but it is at the bottom of the ramen I've had so far in the city, and I've had quite a few at this point. There are plenty of other tasty items in this food court I would recommend instead and if you're looking for ramen this might not satisfy you.

Used to be cash only, now it's no cash. This place continues to be a gem with lots of people everyday waiting to order. The menu is a bit confusing because it allows you to customize however you like, and you just give them the number. The regular size and the large differ just a little. The salt broth is really good. I like the original flavors. The braised meat over rice can get a bit greasy depending on the cuts of pork belly. The pork belly in the ramen is very tender. I would've given them a 5/5 if it wasn't the soup spoon they provide is always dirty. Make sure you rinse those or wipe them down.

The ramen is okay, but when I ordered my son's ramen to go, they mistakenly poured it all into a bowl and handed me the tray. When I said that it was "to go," they implied that I had just changed my mind but gave in when I said that it wasn't even for me, so I had, in fact, originally ordered it to go. Then, they made me wait another 10 minutes while they just drained what was in the bowl into a couple of cartons and handed it to me. Maybe they should have started from scratch?