The city’s ramen scene has grown significantly over the past decade but it’s a suburban Palatine strip mall restaurant that’s churning out some of the finest tonkotsu in Chicagoland. A 15-hour cooking process yields a rich and intense pork broth that’s good enough to drink on its own. It’s paired with chewy egg noodles imported from the west coast and tender braised pork. The kitchen also serves a spicy Taiwanese-style ramen featuring chicken broth, ground pork, garlic, scallions, bean sprouts, and green chives. Ramen House Shinchan offers indoor and outdoor seating, and takeout or delivery via third-party services. There are sister locations in Vernon Hills and Glenview.

Hailing from the city of Kitakata, this Japanese chain has a busy local outpost in Hoffman Estates. The signature shoyu ramen is soy sauce-based and made with pork, while the flat wide-cut noodles are “hand crumpled” in-house, giving them a distinct texture. It’s all topped off with slices of chashu, braised pork belly marinated in soy sauce. There’s another location in Lombard.

Noodle enthusiasts journey to the northwest suburbs for what might be the best ramen in the area. This outlet of Hokkaido’s popular ramen chain, tucked away inside Japanese mall Mitsuwa, has a devoted following. It’s not unusual to see a long line of people snaking through the food court during lunch hours. Wait it out, though, and the reward is shio ramen topped with toroniku chashu — tender pork cheeks that practically melt in the mouth. Santouka offers indoor seating and takeout or delivery via third-party services.

Despite its name, this ramen destination is actually located in suburban Des Plaines. Acclaimed chef Kenta Ikehata, who helped open Tokyo-based chain Tsujita’s first stateside outpost in Los Angeles, whips up an incredible version of tsukemen. The cold, thick noodles from Sun Noodles are meant to be dipped in a chicken-vegetable-pork broth that’s mixed with miso pastes. On the less traditional side, there’s a white mapo tofu ramen that pays homage to the Sichuan dish with a chicken broth, silky tofu, and lots of spicy peppers. Chicago Ramen offers indoor seating or takeout and delivery via third-party services.

This Lakeview restaurant doesn’t always get as much recognition as some other noodle specialists in town, but its efforts are nevertheless deserving of praise. The ramen includes topping choices like pork belly, bulgogi beef, chicken katsu, and seafood.

Katie Dong, an alum of mini-chain String and a self-professed noodle obsessive, made a major splash in 2022 when she unveiled Monster Ramen, her first solo project in Logan Square. The sleek and sunny spot specializes in gyukotsu-style ramen, which draws its distinctive flavor from bison bone stock, and chicken-based tori chintan. Dong’s team also makes its own noodles — a laborious, 24-hour process that sets Monster Ramen’s bowls apart from the crowd.

Ramen is a labor of love and at Ramen Wasabi, it shows. Though the menu offers a selection of Asian small plates, ramen is the main attraction. Rich and creamy tonkotsu broth is slow-cooked for days and served with Berkshire pork belly, soft-boiled egg, bamboo shoots, scallions, sesame, wood ear mushrooms, and garlic oil. To dial up the heat, opt for the spicy roasted garlic miso ramen loaded with chili peppers.

Bill Kim’s fast-casual restaurant deploys a range Asian flavors in exciting ways. Noodles are a big part of the menu and the non-traditional ramen has been a longtime staple, featuring a pho-like soup base with braised pork belly, radish, mushrooms, and soft-boiled egg. Urbanbelly is open for indoor and outdoor dining, and takeout or delivery via third party services. Kim also has a ramen stall at the Time Out Chicago food hall in Fulton Market.

Mussels, chicken tikka masala, and beef brisket aren’t common toppings in ramen but they’re what diners can expect to find at Oiistar. Try something a bit different with these modern takes on a classic dish. Options like the Tikkaman (chicken, masala, bean sprout, nori, roasted sesame, soft-boiled egg) and Musclemen (mussels, onion, chili pepper, scallions, bonito miso) are always reliable and comforting.

Prolific Chicago Chinese restaurateur Tony Hu (Lao Sze Chuan) brought new life to the former home of Imperial Lamian in early 2023 with the debut of Kyuramen, a New York-based chain that takes patrons on a tour through regional ramen styles: think shio ramen from Kyushu, shoyu ramen from Tokyo, and miso from Hokkaido. Its design is also striking, with a wall of honeycomb-shaped booths, intimate tables hidden behind noren (curtains), and a long counter with up-close views of the ramen-making process.

Lettuce Entertain You’s dedicated noodle shop touts both traditional and unorthodox varieties. Slurp tonkotsu and shio broths, or go with the kimchi and fried chicken ramen. Ramen-San offers indoor and outdoor seating, and takeout or delivery via third-party services. Fans can find additional outposts in Fulton Market, Streeterville, and Lincoln Park,

Canadian ramen chain Kinton selected Chicago for its first U.S. location in 2019. Known for reliable and customizable pork, chicken, and vegetarian bowls soup with a choice of thick or thin noodles, the chain also features sake, beer, and refreshing booze-free drinks like yuzu lemonade.

Hogsalt Hospitality’s subterranean ramen lair is an appealing experience for spicy food fanatics. The tonkotsu and mushroom miso ramen can be enhanced with kanabo spice, described on the menu as “face-numbing, tear-jerking, unbearable.” Just make sure to get there early or be prepared to wait in line as seating is limited.

This under-the-radar retreat in Bridgeport first opened in early 2020 and is steadily earning a local reputation for its rich chicken based-bowls with thin noodles. There are also plenty of porky tonkatsu options, like niku ramen with cilantro, corn, and pickled ginger, plus sides and rice dishes such as takoyaki and gyu don beef bowls.

South Siders head to this Bridgeport izakaya to satiate their ramen cravings. The menu covers a variety of styles, including black garlic tonkotsu, curry chicken, tomato vegetable, and tofu miso udon. There are also several types of noodles to select from: egg, matcha, rice, yam, soba, and udon.