Our Shop
Akahoshi Ramen is a humble ramen shop in the city of Chicago. Everything is made in the restaurant, including all soups, seasonings, toppings, and noodles.
We are not an authentic ramen shop, though we value the history of ramen, and our ramen is influenced by its past and its future potential. The dish, popularized in Japan after World War 2, is symbolic of both struggle and perseverance. It is both a simple dish, and a fantastically complex one that we treat with reverence and respect.
Roughly translating to “Red Star,” the name “Akahoshi” is a love letter to two cities; Sapporo, Hokkaido, where red stars adorn city monuments, and Chicago, Illinois, where the red star decorates the city flag. Our ramen is influenced by Japanese and American ideals in cooking.
We hope you will join us to enjoy a bowl of ramen, made with the respect and passion it deserves.
Chef/Owner: Mike Satinover
Mike goes by the name “Ramen Lord” on the internet, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek name that since garnered him serious attention. He has been making ramen for 13 years, fascinated with its history, combining traditional approaches with a scientific, meticulous view of its components. From refractometers to measure soup viscosity, to specific noodle hydration percentages, no details are spared.
Prior to the shop, Mike ran a series of popups throughout Chicago to showcase his wares, though he has also conducted events in New York City, Nashville, Cincinnati, and Atlanta. The shop is his opportunity to share his craft with a broader audience in the city of Chicago.
Mike’s background is not traditional for chefs. After over a decade in marketing research, Mike quit his job to pursue opening his dream ramen shop. He has no formal restaurant training, he just loves ramen. Too chatty for his own good, you’ll usually find him in the kitchen, spreading the gospel with guests.