Some Of The Best Ramen in Chicago Hasn't Changed Its Recipe Since 2010
Ramen Wasabi helped start Chicago's ramen wave with a tonkotsu broth built on 45 continuous hours of boiling Berkshire pork bones. They saw no reason to fix what wasn't broken.
When Ramen Wasabi opened in 2010 it was one of the first technically serious, scratch-made ramen shops in Chicago and it helped spark the ramen wave that followed. Fourteen years later the recipe hasn't changed. When you taste the broth you understand why.
The tonkotsu starts with a massive volume of clean Berkshire pork bones boiled continuously for 45 hours. No powders. No shortcuts. That extreme extraction breaks down the marrow and collagen completely, producing a broth that is rich, velvety, and milky white with a deep natural gelatin coat that sticks to your lips and your memory in equal measure. It is intense, uncompromising, and the best tonkotsu broth I have had in this city. It is the best ramen I have had in this city. Those are not casual claims and I do not make them casually.
The tonkotsu ramen is what I order every time and I have never once reconsidered that decision. The buns are good and I usually get a couple alongside the bowl because self control has its limits. The bowls are generous and the kitchen doesn't cut corners anywhere on the plate.
The space is light and airy with big windows facing Milwaukee Avenue that make people watching an easy way to spend the time between bites. The bar program is tight. As someone who doesn't drink, I appreciate that their non-alcoholic beer and drink list is genuinely solid. A hoppy NA beer with a bowl of tonkotsu is a deeply underrated combination and Ramen Wasabi makes it easy to find out.
No reservations. The line can get long. The wait is worth it every time.
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