Chicago｜It’s Snowing — Time for a Downtown Ramen Roundup! 🍜

Hey friends, time for another roundup — winter’s here in Chicago! Last week was gorgeous, and today… snow 😅 As a ramen enthusiast, I’ve been hitting a lot of Japanese spots lately. Here’s my personal ramen collection for your reference — and please send me your faves too! 🍜 Gyuro Ramen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 171 N Aberdeen St, Chicago, IL 60607 💰 ~$20 per person Loved the Miso broth — not spicy but deeply layered and smooth. The beef chashu was tender and generous. Rich, satisfying, and worth a revisit! 🍜 Birdman Ramen ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 212 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611 💰 ~$25 per person Cool comic-book-style menu and fun Japanese decor. Food didn’t win me over — appetizers leaned sweet, karaage was the best, ramen was okay, yakitori too sweet for me. Overall, more about the vibe than the bowl. 🍜 Kyuramen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 6 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654 💰 ~$20 per person A repeat favorite! Lots of ramen styles, all solid. Love that they name bowls after Japanese cities — tried Sapporo (miso) and Kyushu (spicy tonkotsu), both great. You can customize spice level — perfect for newbies! 🍜 Mammoth Poke & Ramen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 53 E Lake St, Chicago, IL 60601 💰 ~$20 per person Great value spot — feels like a convenience store but serves surprisingly good ramen. Had the black pepper spicy ramen — rich broth with garlic and heat. Quick, tasty, and wallet-friendly. 🍜 Ramen-San ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 59 W Hubbard St #2, Chicago, IL 60654 💰 ~$25 per person A popular pick with 10k+ Google reviews. Vibe is more American-style, dim but cozy. The 10-hour tonkotsu sounded promising, but broth was light, noodles average, chashu big but not standout. Karaage tasted like Korean fried chicken — seems tailored to local tastes. #SupportLocalEats #Chicago #ChicagoEats #ChicagoRamen #RamenLovers #DowntownChicago