Monster Ramen

Overall the ramen here was good and worth trying out. The broth had a rich and deep flavor, the noodles were well cooked and there were a lot of different and unique toppings (the Ajitama was one of the best ones I’ve had in the Chicago area). I had the miso Yasai ramen and my partner had the shoyu plus ramen. The ramen was not very traditional to classic Japanese ramen though, which is fine but still important to call out. There are a lot of influences from Taiwanese cuisine like the pickled mustard greens, Taiwanese cabbage, cold cut beef and use of beef bone broth, which put this ramen almost in between Japanese ramen and a Taiwanese noodle soup. Very unique and interesting and tasty but ide go somewhere else if I wanted specifically Japanese flavors.

We booked a reservation for our anniversary at a table. My partner and I get ramen every anniversary since our very first date was ramen. When we arrived they sat us at the counter, we asked for a table per our reservation and gave us an excuse that the table we get it per their discretion and it specifies that on the booking website. It does not state this, we checked after we sat down. There was a table open the ENTIRE time we were there. Now onto the food, we both got the monster ramen. It's overpriced for what is is. The noodles are good, not much meat, cheap vegetables & the broth is too salty. On top of that they charge $1.95 for chili oil. That seems absurd to me! We also ordered the "spicy" gyoza -- not remotely spicy and too much vinegar on it. The food was ok, just not worth $100 for 2 ppl.

I recently visited Monster Ramen after seeing them featured on a YouTube channel, and I was not disappointed! The broth was fresh and flavorful, and the noodles were the highlight—perfectly chewy and al dente. Overall, it was a great experience, though the portion size was a bit on the smaller side. If you’re a big eater, you might want to go for the large size. I’m giving them four stars mainly because they charged $1.95 for chili oil, which is usually complimentary at most ramen spots.

Monster ramen! We sat at the bar to see the livelihood of the kitchen and it was amazing! The flow of the 4 dedicated ramen chefs creating everyone’s orders like a symphony. We heard of this place through triple D- diners, drive ins and dives! We saw the owner herself working in the kitchen along everyone. We ordered a lot and were not disappointed. We started with an order of edamame, and spicy gyoza! The gyoza I had never had anything like it! Lightly crispy on the edges only and 10 different toppings! Flavor bomb while patiently waited for our ramen. We got the monster ramen and the shio! The shio was flavorful and clean; one of the lighter options available. The noodles were perfect. I wish mine had some more meat though. The monster was incredible. Creamy beef broth with every type of topping you can think of! We left with our bellies full and energy restored. Thank you monster ramen, we will be back!

Our crew stopped by after a production because we wanted to try something different. We really enjoyed this unique ramen as well as the different choices of sake!

Everything was wonderful from start to finish. We arrived about 30 minutes earlier than our reservation time (expecting to wait if needed), but we were sat right away. The server was so kind, attentive, and explained everything on the menu to us in detail. The gyoza and ramen were absolutely delicious. I will make this a place I always have to visit when I’m in Chicago.

Went for the house shoyu ramen and some yaki beef gyoza, and both were tasty comfort food. The broth had a nice garlic touch and the dumplings were juicy. The whole place had a warm, inviting vibe and the service was smooth. It felt like a familiar favorite after just one visit. I’d head back next time I’m in the mood for ramen.