Ramen Misoya
| Address: | 1584 Busse Rd, Mt Prospect, IL 60056, USA |
| Phone: | +1 847-437-4590 |
| Site: | misoya.net |
| Rating: | 4.7 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
HA
Hans Hong
Went there for lunch today. The star of the show here is definitely their miso soup base. You cant get away from it--the goodness and benefits of miso are plastered all over their walls. A little background: Ive tried ramen from all over, and I do have particular preferences. I know how to make ramen from scratch and Ill tell you what, its not easy. Im not really a big fan of miso or shio soup bases--I feel that their taste is very one dimensional, and that dimension is usually salt. I like my soups to be drinkable without making me feel gross, or need to drink a gallon of water afterwards. Here, since they seem to push miso so much, I figure maybe its different. I got the Kome Miso (first one on their list). Buddy got the spicy "tonkotsu" ramen. Why the quotes? Well... Broth...Well....its not bad. My Kome Miso was better than most miso soup bases. Not too much of a grease layer on top, but....still, salty. Definitely missing the full body multi-dimensional flavor of a good tonkotsu-based broth. Above average, but 5 stars? Come on. However, my friends "tonkotsu" broth was a scam and a fake. This is not good tonkotsu broth. Wheres the beautiful swirling creamy mixture that is a broth that has been simmering for hours, or even days? Not here. Just salty and greasy. In either case, theres no way I would feel good drinking the soup. Noodles--a bit on the soft side. Missing the chewy-springiness of what I would consider good ramen noodles. Not bad, but not really good either. In fact, there were a lot of short noodles bits in there, which leads me to believe....they arent fresh and might have even come out of a bag.... Fillings and toppings-- Corn in my ramen? Hmm, not bad! adds some crunch. I can dig it. Clams in the "tonkotsu" ramen? Today I learned that this is a thing, and Ill pass next time. Vegetables and sprouts? Pretty good, and plentiful. ++ here. Wheres my soft boiled egg? Oh, $1.50 extra. Meh. Thats fair, I guess, since you are giving me 3 slices of... The one thing I would come back for: The Cha-siu pork. Normal slices of cha-siu for ramen are just braised and slow cooked for a really long time, and then served on top of the ramen. But here, they grill it to render the fat and caramelize the sugars and ho-ly cow its good. Theyre not wimpy small thin slices either--nice big chunks, and the cut of the pork was large to begin with too. I am willing to come back here in a month or two after theyve stabilized a bit to give them another chance, just because the pork was so good. Final bill was $15 after tax and tip for one person. For a bowl of above average ramen? Sorry, thats too expensive. The value proposition here just isnt good enough. I can get away with what I consider really good ramen with a side of gyoza for ~$11 (Sankyu), or $10 flat for Kurumayas lunch special. If you know me and read my past reviews, you know that I could really care less about interior decor and ambiance. Win me over with your good food and Ill overlook almost anything. But... Maybe bad luck today, but it was a hot day, and no A/C made the place pretty stuffy. Plus, it really looks like they rushed to open this place--vents not cleaned, place looks half finished. Im all about hole in the wall places that dont look fully "done", but please convince me that you were spending the time and resources needed to clean up the place you invested in making your food awesome. Bottom line: Has potential, needs to clean up their act. You should stick with the traditional places around here for now. Go get a tonkotsu ramen from Sankyu (not even a 2 minute drive from here) and get your ramen fix. Not as fancy, not as many toppings, but Ill go out on a limb that your bowl will be mostly empty when youre done and your wallet will be a little more full. By the way, keep in mind that the place is rather small. You wont be able to fit a group of more than 4 easily, if at all. Ill update when I visit again in a month or two.
AL
Alysa Nguyen
When coming from California where Japanese food is quite abundant, I didnt expect to find good Japanese ramen, but I did. The ramen at Misoya is very tasty and the broth is the right blend of miso, ramen, meat, and vegetables. The portion is ginormous, and can be shared between two people, well, one has to be a light eater. The service is great, but then, thats what Japanese people are known for. We tried two different types of ramen, gyoza, and fried rice. All four dishes were delicious. I learn that they have a spot in Las vegas, so Ill be dropping whenever Im in Vegas, which is a lot closer to home. Must try, when you are in Chicago. What can make this 5 stars? Shorter wait time and cheaper appetizers, 7$for regular wedge fries is a little outrageous.
CL
Clifton Moy
Good ramen, the broths are very rich and full bodied. The noodles are good the correct consistency for ramen. The add in and customization for each of the ramen dishes are what sets this place apart for me. A lot of choice pretty much build the ramen the way you like. Add ins can stack up fast though and the price of a bowl of ramen can get north of 15. Still it is nice to be able to add extra noodles etc. The one issue I have is the place is small, and it is popular so you are almost guaranteed a wait of some length. First time I went it was a monday night at 8pm, the wait was over 45 minutes. The second time I went during a weekday at lunch time and still waited 10 minutes. Definitely not a place to go if time is a factor.
GE
George Hengels
Very good Japanese style ramen served in misoya broth. My favorite is the Kome Misoya Cha-Shu Ramen which features a rich misoya broth, slices of tender and flavorful grilled pork roast, and vegetables. The addition of some fried chicken, shrimp, and a misoya scented egg make this a perfect bowl in my opinion The prices are reasonable with bowls of ramen starting at $8.95 and going up from there depending on what all you want in it. The staff is friendly and welcoming. There is sometimes a wait to get seated but they have a sign in sheet that you fill in as you arrive and they try to seat groups in a first come first served fashion. They have tables available for groups and also have a counter available for seating as well.
LI
Linus W
Nagoya chashu ramen: its miso-based soup flavor is reminiscent of a Chinese black bean sauce, and even has cabbage in it, which I associate more with Chinese cuisine. Fun to try, so now I know I dont care much for this style. The broth gets extra salty the further down you go, so there was no way I could drink all that. Price is fine given the amount of pork you get. Their chashu is tasty and slightly grilled, although can sometimes be on the dry side. They dont make their own noodles, but I do like the slight waviness and thickness. Karaage: a lighter batter with a mustard-mayo sauce. Not bad! Hope to give this place a higher rating if I find a broth I like more.
ER
Erik Johnson
Ramen Misoya is an incredible (but small) spot for ramen in Mount Prospect. Ive had various types of ramen at several spots in Illinois (from but not limited to Slurping Turtle, Mitsuwa, and my local Chinese place). Ramen Misoya has always had the most flavorful and most authentic ramen experience. I recommend coming a little bit off dinner/lunch hours because it can get crowded and wait times can get long, but even if you end up waiting for some time, the food can definitely be worth it. If you think you might have room in your belly, make sure you try an appetizer or two, but be aware, the ramen is very filling. Enjoy!
