I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Atsumeru in May 2026 to celebrate my wife's birthday, and we continue to rave about it daily. We checked in for our reservation, and the host politely wished my wife a happy birthday and mentioned our night would start off downstairs. We followed her to the basement. -- The basement was dimly lit, intimate, and cozy. The music was an upbeat jazz playing behind the bar, making it feel like a cozy living room with a private chef. The wine list was decent. They don't have cocktails yet as they just received their liquor license, but the Burgundy we chose paired well with our night. We cheersed our glasses, and the event started. Watching the chefs prepare the dishes behind the counter was like watching artists paint a picture, silent and beautiful. Our first course was crab, woodruff and apple. The crunchy texture and burst of flavor was the perfect start. Next was the wagyu, chestnut and katsuobushi. As a big fan of beef tartare, this was my favorite bite downstairs. The final bite downstairs was gjetost, onion, which was my wife's favorite. It tasted exactly like French onion soup in a single, decadent ball, with the onion and beef front and center. After this, we grabbed our drinks and were escorted upstairs to the main dining area. -- The room upstairs was upscale but not stuffy or pretentious, with calming music that set the mood. The chairs were incredibly comfortable, which I noticed right away. We were presented with some complementary champagne to celebrate my wife's birthday, which was a really appreciated touch. As we clinked our glasses, we started the main meal. The sablefish with corn silk and miso was fantastic, melting in your mouth with a great balance of savory flavor, a touch of heat, and a bit of crunch. Our second course was chawanmushi, trout, prawn and saffron, which was gorgeous to look at and had a welcoming mix of textures. The third dish was scallop, sudachi and fennel. I usually feel like scallops are overplayed at these types of restaurants, but boy, was I proven wrong. This was perfectly tender and probably my favorite dish of the night. The white wine sauce and citrus gave it a light feel, while unique bits of fried chicken added flavor and crunch. It might be the best scallop dish I've ever had. We also added the optional course of caviar, banana and beef. It was well worth the add-on, bringing a great harmony of salty caviar pops, sweet banana, and rich umami. The next course was mushroom, rice, yeast and egg yolk. You could really taste the Japanese and Nordic influences here with a full burst of umami. It wasn't my personal favorite, but my wife loved it, showing how subjective tastes can be. Next was the wagyu, koji and jus. They let you choose your own custom steak knife from a selection, which was an awesome, upscale touch. The A5 Wagyu had great flavor and was incredibly tender. The desserts were a phenomenal progression from savory-sweet to fully sweet. The foie gras, krumkake and cloudberry was rich, salty, and sweet, easily a favorite of mine. Next was the milk and pine dish. I usually roll my eyes when foodies say a dish transports them, but my tastebuds have been opened. With one bite, I closed my eyes and felt myself standing in a quiet, snowy pine forest. It was breathtaking. Our next course was sobacha, yuzu and cocoa husk, featuring a smooth ice cream over a nutty financier. The final course was three plates presented together: an explosive sea buckthorn bite with a fully liquid center, a Christmas-inspired ginger and speculoos cookie, and a meringue with hoja santa that my wife loved. Overall, these desserts were the perfect send-off. -- I'm excited to see this restaurant grow. I think they'll truly hit their stride once they have a full time sommelier and some cocktails on their menu. Thank you, Chef Devin, and your entire staff for an amazing experience for my wife's birthday. You are truly deserving of that coveted Michelin Star, if not two. read more

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We've been wanting to try Atsumeru since it opened a couple of months ago, so my birthday seemed like the perfect excuse. Service was friendly and low key, with lots of information about the ingredients of each of the many courses. The setting is intimate, with perhaps 8 tables, the noise level was perfect. The decor didn't strike me as particularly Nordic or Japanese as I was expecting but it was pleasant. The first three "bite sized" courses were my favorites of the entire meal, the morsel of wagyu with mushroom was particularly good, The other standouts for me were the sea trout course and the mushroom course. The rest of the meal was very good (my wife enjoyed it more than me, she thought it was excellent) but I felt that many of the courses were too rich for my taste buds and had too many ingredients for any to stand out. I think I'm getting a bit jaded over multi-course chefs tasting menus, so take that in mind when reading the review. The only major disappointments of the meal were what should have been the stars; the wagyu and sun choke dish, the beef had amazing flavor from the Japanese seasoning but it was very chewy and the supplemental caviar course, the flavor of the roe was totally overpowered by the other ingredients. The krumkake with foie was a bit too much for me to handle (the richness) and the krumkake wasn't authentic (my wife's family is Norwegian, we eat krumkake often) but it still tasted good. Currently the restaurant is BYOB but they did email us ahead of time to remind us, so that wasn't a problem. My wife had informed them that it was my birthday and I received a lovely card with a keepsake origami crane. I certainly recommend giving Atsumeru a try, I'm certain my wife will go back. read more

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This experience felt like it was designed by introverts - in the best possible way. It's detailed and thoughtful with substance over flash- in contrast to many of the other fine dining restaurants in the city these days. Even their staff felt knowledgeable and attentive but not loud or showy. On arrival you are taken downstairs for the starting courses - 3 small well executed bites paired with a complimentary welcome drink (kombucha based mocktail with option to add gin). It is currently BYOB as they are acquiring their liquor license- if you arrive empty handed (check the email you made the reso with about 3 days beforehand) the staff will guide you to online delivery options to order to the restaurant. The remaining 9-12 courses are upstairs. It is a combo of Japanese and Nordic influences which go together in a very complimentary way. There is an option for a caviar course add on that I highly recommend. It is a seafood heavy menu but also includes a a couple wagyu dishes and a couple vegetarian items. Each bite is so well thought out that you get multiple levels of texture in flavor and it somehow feels like a new item each time you take a bite of each dish. They even made foie gras (the common transition dish from savory to dessert courses) and white chocolate taste delicious. The thoughtful touches extend to things like the take home menu (it is not an obnoxiously long or oversized like many places- it is small, placed inside an envelope with a beautiful seal and you can easily tuck it into your bag) and the bathrooms (both upstairs and downstairs are so warm and cozy and beautifully done). I imagine coming back would be a completely new experience in a great way as they are so meticulous and deliberate that even eating the same items if the menu were unchanged would evolve. read more

New restaurant, nice lounge area. I love the relaxing start of the evening at the lounge with a welcome drink and a few bites...Love almost all the appetizers and desserts dishes. Protein dishes were just ok imo, wish they end the protein section with a bit more substantial steak or fish dish. The trout is a bit fishy imo, but I do love the steam egg and the foam the dish comes with. They don't rush you through and atm it's byob which made the evening a nice experience. read more

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Second visit, and it confirmed everything I said the first time. We went back this past Saturday and brought three guests with us who are very inexperienced with fine dining. That is in direct contrast to my wife and me, who have done a lot of it. They absolutely loved the experience, which honestly says a lot about this place. To be candid, there were moments where the gap in experience showed, and my wife and I were a little embarrassed. That said, the team handled everything flawlessly. No awkwardness, no judgment, no stiffness. Just calm, polished, professional service the entire night. That alone speaks volumes about how good this staff really is. They were tested. New menu items, same high level across the board. The chef is doing serious work and exciting new dishes. There is a lot of hard work being done and it shows. The entire operation is dialed in. This place runs like it has been open for years, not months. I am actively telling people to go here. Not "put it on your list." Go now! I guarantee they are getting a Michelin star next year, and once that happens, you will regret not taking advantage of how easy it is to get a reservation right now. Also, it is still BYOB. That alone makes this a no brainer at this level. Take advantage of it while you can. Atsumeru is already operating at a Michelin level. This is the window before everyone else catches on. read more

I guarantee Atsumeru will be in the Michelin Guide this fall. The only thing yet to be determined is how many stars it gets. Chef Devin Denzer and his team have grown into this space and this concept in a way that feels like they have been doing it for 10+ years in this space. Food is amazing. Complex and balanced flavors in a clean and not over complex presentation. No tricks, just REALLY delicious food presented in a way that the ingredients, the technique, and the passion are the stars. read more

My wife and I went for a celebration. They started in the basement with smaller bites. Two of them were outstanding. Service then moved up stairs to start their larger dishes. At this point they were BYOB so we have a brought a white and a light red (which they recommended). It was perfect for the progression of dishes. The chef did an outstanding job with blending japanese dishes with the nordic sytle in each dish. There was a salman dish with a scallap that was my facvorite. The 1st desert also blew our minds! A perfect mix of sweet and savory. The only thing that can improve is their decor. It'd be good to change out the lighting and paint the walls some darker colors to match the vibe of the food. This is a great addition to the neighborhood and the city! Highly recommend! read more

Incredible food experience. Best tasting I have ever had. Each dish was complex, well constructed and absolutely delicious.

Easily one of the best meals we've EVER had in Chicago. And at an excellent price point with wonderful service. Can't wait to return. Thank you, Chef! read more

One of the best tasting menus in Chicago! We were excited to try this new place and it did not disappoint. Every item was intricate and delicious and beautifully presented. Chef Devin and his staff were so friendly and passionate. The interior is beautifully designed and we loved how they did the downstairs bar. Great music too! Hoping to go back again! read more

Phenomenal meal with even better service. This was such a well thought out menu, I would eat every single dish again. Blown away doesn't even begin to explain my experience here, I cannot wait for my next meal at this special place! The cherry on top was the staff, who were all so passionate and warm throughout the entire meal. Thank you for such an amazing meal!! read more