Kyuramen - Oak Park — Restaurant in Oak Park

Wow, delicious ramen! I ordered the Combination A special - Tokyo tonkotsu shouyu ramen with steamed pork bao bun and matcha pudding with red beans ($21.99 classic combo). My new favorite place for ramen.

I visited at noon on Thursday. Street & lot parking may be busy - have patience. Three groups were ahead of me but I got seated within 5 minutes because I requested bar seating.

I got the bao within 5 minutes of ordering and ramen minutes later. Bao was fresh & pork was thick - so good!

Pork broth was excellent - full bodied, tasty, right amount of garlic and seasoning. Ramen was perfectly cooked - nice chewy texture. Soy sauce marinated egg also perfect and toppings were plentiful and great tasting. Shoyu pork was tender & tasty too. I’m not an aficionado but this is probably the best ramen I’ve ever eaten. I’m Vietnamese-Filipino but my last meal would probably be ramen like this.

The crowd died down about 20 minutes after I arrived. I think there are about 5 enclosed private seating areas, 2 open tables and 8 bar seats. Bar seating actually had a bar for resting feet on - thoughtful detail that’s appreciated by short people like me.

The staff was courteous, accommodating, polite, and as quick as they could be during the lunch crowd. Bar seating gave me a great view of the prep kitchen and hardworking chefs and assistants. Opening day was 7 days ago but training was smooth - very impressed.

I ordered takeout for the family or else they would’ve disowned me. Well thought out takeout - noodles suspended above the broth in the same container & also labeled. The little details contribute to the overall pleasant dining experience.

I love Kyuramen and will return many times and with friends. I’ll definitely spread the word but I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes so popular that it will quickly outgrow the small space. That’s why I had to try it about 30 minutes after hearing about it. Thank you for coming to...

UPDATE: I've added a screenshot of the online menu and the Seafood Miso Soup listed there so that we're all clear it wasn't made up. I asked for Seafood Miso Soup by name when we placed the phone order for pickup. Twice.

I DID NOT ask for the Sapporo Seafood Ramen OR the MEGA Ramen. Because the menu indicates that both have pork. You can look it up for yourself.

So it's odd to see the Kyuramen person reply to my review with the helpful observation that if my "personal preference" is pork-free, I should not have ordered MEGA Ramen because it has pork in it. Along with a helpful bonus lesson about Authentic Japanese Cuisine!

News flash: Kyuramen may be new to most of America, but ramen and Japanese cuisine in general are not. Wakarimashita ne! I simply don't care for ramen. That's why I didn't order ANY kind of ramen.

My partner did order ramen, because he loves it. He thought your ramen was decent but not spectacular, and neither of us cared for the heaping side order of condescension that came with the order. Thanks for making it clear this wasn't some Grand Opening Day oversight.

I know it's the first day, but c'mon.

I don't eat pork, partner does. Looked at the menu online and ordered the "Seafood Miso Soup", along with a ramen and two desserts, by phone. After picking up, return home to find that they'd given us Sapporo miso ramen -- which I can't eat. Call back, explain we've gotten the wrong thing. Tell them we want the Seafood Miso Soup. Person on phone says okay, and we go back... to find that they've made a MEGA Ramen because "it has shrimp" (it also has pork! Lots of pork!)

That's when they tell us -- after two phone calls and two trips down to the store in the rain -- that this particular store doesn't even offer Seafood Miso Soup even though it's part of the online menu.

You couldn't have told us the first time, an hour ago? Now I'm eating cereal...

I recently dined here, and while the food was undeniably great, the overall experience took a sharp turn at the end, leaving me disappointed.

From the start, everything seemed perfect—the menu had plenty of options, the service was attentive, and the food was delicious. I was enjoying the meal with my little brother, and we had no complaints about the quality or taste of anything served.

However, things went downhill when it came time to settle the bill. Our total was $46, and I paid with $60, but I only received $8 in change instead of $14. Confused, I approached the manager to address the issue. To his credit, he did correct the mistake and returned the missing amount. I thought that would be the end of it and went back to my seat while my little brother finished his drink.

But as I sat there, I noticed all four employees—including the manager—staring at us, seemingly involved in a heated discussion. It was incredibly uncomfortable. Moments later, I was informed that I had not been given the updated total, which included dessert. Realizing it was a misunderstanding, I willingly returned the extra change.

What made this situation worse was how it was handled. The manager didn’t bother to apologize for the confusion, leaving it to the waitress to offer an apology instead. While I appreciate her effort, the lack of professionalism and communication from the manager left a sour taste in my mouth.

It’s unfortunate because the meal itself was great, but the way this situation was handled overshadowed the experience. Mistakes happen, but how they are addressed makes all the difference. Sadly, I can’t recommend this restaurant. There are plenty of other places where you can enjoy good food without feeling uncomfortable or undervalued...