Listings

Summary:

An outstanding opportunity to acquire a fully equipped Japanese ramen restaurant in one of Chicago's northwest suburbs' most established dining corridors!

Offered as a $99,000 asset sale, this attractive fast-casual restaurant features an extensive restaurant build-out, a highly functional open kitchen, comfortable dining area and a complete cooking line designed for ramen, noodles and other Japanese specialties.

A new owner can bring their own brand and menu to an established restaurant location without the time, expense and uncertainty of building a restaurant from scratch.

Engaging Dining Experience

Opened in 2023, the restaurant occupies 1,296 sqft with seating for 45 guests. The inviting interior features a distinctive counter overlooking the open kitchen, booth seating and traditional tables. Guests can watch their meals being prepared, creating an engaging dining experience that sets this space apart from a typical quick-service restaurant.

Highly Functional Open Kitchen

The kitchen is equipped with a large hood, specialized ramen noodle boiler, stock pot burners, wok cooking equipment, fryer, refrigeration, prep stations and a walk-in cooler/freezer combination. The layout supports dine-in, carryout and delivery operations, with a compact footprint that offers opportunities for efficient staffing and manageable operating costs.

Keep A Similar Concept Or Bring Your Concept Here

This is an asset sale. The seller is retaining the existing trade name and brand, giving the buyer the opportunity to establish their own ramen concept in an already improved restaurant space.

This is a HIGHLY confidential listing. If interested, please complete the short Contact Form on the right or email Tim Ryan at Tim@eatz-associates.com or call 847-343-1332 for more information. Showings by appointment only outside of business hours.

Competition:

The northwest suburban dining market offers a strong mix of established restaurants, diverse international cuisines and customers seeking convenient, high-quality meals. Japanese ramen occupies an appealing specialty niche, offering a distinctive alternative to traditional burgers, pizza, sandwiches and other fast-casual concepts.

The area's restaurant concentration is an advantage for an operator with a well-positioned concept. Established dining destinations attract customers to the corridor, while nearby offices, businesses, residential neighborhoods and the adjoining hotel create opportunities for both repeat visits and new customer discovery.

The existing restaurant has demonstrated customer interest in Japanese noodles and specialty dishes, with a substantial history of online reviews and delivery-platform activity. A new owner can capitalize on the location's established restaurant use while introducing their own identity, recipes and customer experience.

Growth and Expansion:

The opportunity extends well beyond traditional dine-in service. A motivated owner-operator can introduce a fresh Japanese ramen, udon or noodle concept, develop signature dishes and expand the menu with rice bowls, appetizers, vegetarian selections and seasonal specialties. The existing open kitchen and specialized cooking equipment provide a strong foundation for a focused, high-quality menu.

Additional opportunities include strengthening 3rd-party delivery and online ordering, developing corp lunch and catering programs, creating family meal packages and introducing loyalty incentives to encourage repeat business. Targeted marketing to nearby employers and hotel guests could help capture additional weekday lunch, evening and group dining demand.

The lease also permits alcoholic beverage service incidental to food, subject to obtaining the required licenses, offering potential for Japanese beer, sake and other complementary beverages.

An engaged owner-operator can build local relationships, strengthen community awareness and develop a distinctive independent restaurant brand.

At $99,000, this is an opportunity to acquire an extensively improved, fully equipped restaurant in a highly desirable northwest suburban dining corridor at a fraction of the cost and time typically associated with a new restaurant build-out!

Location:

Standout Location

Situated in an established retail center along the heavily traveled Milwaukee Ave dining corridor, the restaurant benefits from excellent street visibility, prominent storefront signage, convenient access and shared surface parking. Milwaukee Ave carries ~30,300 vehicles daily, with nearby Lake Cook Rd providing additional traffic and regional connectivity.

Adjacent A Large Hotel

A major advantage is the 412-room upscale hotel directly behind the shopping center, offering a built-in source of potential customers from overnight guests, business travelers, conferences, weddings and special events. The hotel also features approximately 44,000 sqft of meeting and event space, creating opportunities for guest dining, carryout, group meals and catering.

Also A Major Retail Corridor

The surrounding retail environment adds to the location's appeal, with a mix of established restaurants, coffee shops, personal services and national retailers drawing customers throughout the day. Nearby dining destinations include Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, while Starbucks, Target and other major retailers serve the surrounding trade area. The corridor has long been recognized as a destination for dining, attracting customers from neighboring northwest and north suburban communities.

With Compelling Demographics

Within 3 miles, ~83,954 residents enjoy an average household income of $147,519, while 70,350 employees work at 3,567 businesses. This combination of affluent households, a substantial daytime workforce, hotel visitors and regional restaurant traffic provides a broad potential customer base for lunch, dinner, carryout and delivery.

County: Cook

Facilities:

Lease Information: Leased space $5,734/mth gross. Current lease expires Sep 2027 with one 5-year option.

Square Feet: 1,296.

Seating: 45 Inside + Bench Seating Outfront.

Days/Hrs of Operation: Daily 11a-10p.

Owners Role: Absentee multi-unit owner - store leader runs the operation day-to-day.

Real Estate: Leased.

Value of FF&E: Included In Asking Price.

Value of Inventory: Not Included In Asking Price.

Number of Employees: 3 Full-Time & 3 Part-Time.

Support/Training: N/A.

Seller Financing Available: No.

Reason for Selling: Pursuing other ventures.