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photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Monster Ramen
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For years, Chicago ramen heavyweights High Five, Wasabi, and Menya Goku have been our go-tos, consistently impressing us with their fantastic pork-based, tonkotsu bowls. But a new challenger is vying for Chicago’s ramen throne. One with velvety, hard-to-find, beef-based gyukotsu broth. And that place is Monster Ramen.
Monster Ramen sits innocently on a corner in Logan Square—just a white neon sign glowing against a matte black exterior. The bright, narrow space has a few tables, but our favorite seats are the ones at the kitchen counter. Looking through glass separators, it’s like watching a TV that only broadcasts the Monster Ramen Channel. You can see all of the action: bowls being meticulously constructed, billowing clouds of steam emanating from pots, and the staff maneuvering through the narrow kitchen with well-timed, choreographed movements.
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photo credit: Kim Kovacik
The menu has a few starters and a handful of non-soup dishes, but the ramen is why you’re here. Specifically, the four bowls made with gyukotsu, an incredible beef bone broth. Unlike the almost-milky creaminess of pork-based tonkotsu, their gyukotsu is light (but still plenty beefy), and complemented with thin, springy housemade noodles. For a straightforward beef flavor, get one of their salt-seasoned shio bowls. But for more complexity, our favorite is “The Monster.” Toppings like beef jam, tender wagyu, and mushrooms give this bowl extra meatiness, while swirls of garlic miso tare mixed into the broth adds so much umami, the walls of reality practically disintegrate with each spoonful.
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Monster Ramen already sets itself apart in Chicago’s ramen landscape simply by having beef broth on its menu. But the fact that their bowls are always balanced and flavorful makes it one of our favorite spots in the city for a casual meal—ramen or otherwise. Though it can get busy with friends catching up, couples, or parents trying to keep their kid from showering themselves in soup, we’ve often been seated immediately. But even if there’s a wait (usually 15 minutes or less), you can just happily pass the time by watching the Monster Ramen Show happening in the kitchen.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kim Kovacik
Gyoza
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Spicy Menma
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Shio Tokusei
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The Monster
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