Strings, A Chinatown Ramen Fave, Is Planning A New Lakeview Restaurant

The management behind Strings, the popular ramen shop in Chinatown, is trying once more at expanding on the North Side. They plan on opening in Lakeview — the former Ramenster space at 919 W. Belmont Ave. — very soon. Management confirmed they’re targeting a “before March” opening.

Strings’ Tonkatsu is a hip pick for Chicago’s best bowl of ramen, making Chinatown a destination for Japanese food. Strings opened a second location in March 2015 in Lincoln Park with an expanded menu that included lean, tender ostrich meat as a bowl option. However, the restaurant closed without much warning in July, leaving behind a sad group of slurpers when the state department of revenue revoked their business license. A tea shop component above the dining room also closed without much fanfare only a few weeks after Strings 2 opened.

Ramenster opened in the fall of 2015 near Belmont and Clark. It lasted about a year. Management for Strings didn’t share what they have in mind for the menu at their upcoming iteration. Most likely, they’ll have a few curves that differentiate it from the Chinatown original.