A fun spot with plenty of small plate options to share. The scallop, wagyu, eggplant, and okra are absolute musts! read more

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Everyone was super nice and helpful except for one lady with a long brown ponytail and quarter zip who was very rude and asked us to stop screaming into the microphone. This sounds like a normal request, except we were doing karaoke and the song was a song that had screaming in it. She made us feel guilty and ashamed about something that could have been handled with a more polite conversation about volume expectations. Don't have open karaoke of guests aren't allowed to queue songs that are louder or alternative? Also three of us work in restaurants as well so we know how annoying coroners could be and I don't think we were unreasonable at all, one of the people in our group was black and he was the one who was asked specifically to stop being loud after other patrons were also screaming into the mic so it felt targeted... read more

I stumbled upon Izakaya Shinya during their weekly karaoke night and what a memorable night it was. One major positive is the kitchen here is open late, which is a lifesaver when you're in Bucktown at 1 AM. Despite the late night crowd, the atmosphere is fairly laid back and chill at the bar. Warning: the booth karaoke can be distracting if you're sensitive about noise. Our fried rice could use more soy sauce, but I appreciate the hole in the wall charm it has and will be returning. The skewer menu is stacked! read more

**Ordered for delivery** First time trying this place solely to find an omurice that will match the level Japan makes it. I would say this place came really close, if not, the closest it can get to the one I tried from Japan. It definitely needs more ketchup than what is originally added. I also got the unagi rice which is realllly good. There was a pop of flavor in the eel that blended really well with the rice. No complaints for this one. We preordered while they were preparing to open and they delivered at a reasonable time. Would love to come give this place a try in person since it has that authentic izakaya feel to it. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Brand new spot (within two weeks of opening when we went) and one of my favorite spots during my weekend trip to Chicago! Would definitely recommend and come back to when I'm in town. Food: Gigantic yakitori menu! Tried a few of them and each was great. Wish I could've gotten more of them. Also got the takoyaki which had good sized pieces of octopus in each one. The unagi don was delicious as well and came with miso soup however the soup came out a little lukewarm instead of hot which was a little sad. However the standout flavor for us came from the beef tongue stew. VERY interesting flavor combinations from it that we loved. Service: All the workers were very nice but you could definitely tell they were still new and learning the menu. The menu has all the items in Japanese so when we tried to order them by name, our waiter looked confused more than a few times haha. Willing to forgive this for now but hope they get it down in the future. Ambiance: AMAZING INTERIOR. Whoever was in charge of decorating the place, well done. The decor and lighting all contribute to an amazing Japanese izakaya vibe and experience. Seating does seem limited so make sure to make a reservation if possible. Water: The ONLY reason I can't give this place 5 stars is because we had to ask THREE times for a water refill before we finally got one. Like I said earlier, we could tell the workers were getting a feel for everything still but that doesn't excuse them from forgetting to bring us water especially when we explicitly asked some of them for a refill and then they would just walk way to do other things. The bartender was the one who actually came around and filled us up eventually. To be clear, all the workers were nice and we got our food just fine. However, don't let me catch you slipping on water service. read more

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TLDR: 5/5 A unique hangout space with good vibes and decor, perfect for late night bites and drinks. Unique cocktails and tasty yakitori. We would be back to give more of the menu a try and to enjoy the company of friends. Ambiance: 5/5 cute decor with umbrellas hanging from the ceiling and lanturns in the wall like you would find hanging up walking down an ally in Japan vibes. A bit bigger than what one might find in the golden gai district but a nice chill vibe of drinks and small bites. Food: 4/5 Everything came out hot and fresh. The smaller plates had great flavor from our beef tongue to eggplant all were nicely cooked or had a slight char taste as one would find at a typical yakitori place. We also got a few "main" dishes that were filling and tasty. However, the main dishes, although they were good, I definitely would have just gotten a bunch more of the smaller plates. The eel was good, and the broth with rice reminded me of a rice porridge. My friend ended up with tori katsu and curry, which he cleaned up the plate, and rarely does he finish his food. One can only assume he liked it a lot. Drinks: 4/5 Unique cocktails that I would want to try more of. I had the Kochi Yuzu Citrus, which had a lovely citrus forward flavor and the rum hidden extremely well... almost would call it a more aggressively less sweet lemonade that catered to my taste buds. The other drink, Mt fuji apple martini, was not to my taste, but it wasn't bad. The blended apple into the drink gave it an interesting texture, i would recommend it stiring it up every now and then as the vodka did settle more towards the bottom when the blended part rose to the top. Service: 4.5/5 A bit slower to start off, as we were motioned to take a seat. However, it picked up afterward once the orders were placed and very friendly staff. Overall: 5/5 Food was great, and the ambiance was chill and relaxed. The service redeemed itself from the initial seating and waiting for menus/drinks/to order. We would come back for a nice late night chill spot to hang out, have drinks, and eat some small bites/light snacks. read more

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This place pissed me off immediately and do not recommend this restaurant to anyone at all. Food is meh, nothing special. The server rushed us in a way wherein she took our order the minute after we sat down, not giving us a chance to look at the messy menu picture after scanning the QR code. Dismissive and not taking little plates after filling our table with the food we ordered, we instead piled used plates to the empty table next to us... One guy was serving deinks wearing a sleeveless hoodie, gross, I do not want armpit hair in my food or drinks!. The place is cramped, awkward booths that are hard to get into and weird small tables in the middle, music playing does not go with the vibe they're trying to going for. They also add 3% fee on top of your bill on top of expecting tip for minimal service. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Kaarge, dry, pieces are too big. Bland yakisoba on a sizzling plate, burnt by the time you get to it. - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Izakaya Shinya is Wicker Park's only true Japanese izakaya, making it a must-visit for late-night dining. The cozy spot offers a wide selection of yakitori, with highlights like the melt-in-your-mouth Unagi skewers. Their Chicken Katsu--a fried chicken breast served with comforting Japanese curry and rice--is a standout main dish, though their ramen options are limited to chicken, vegetable udon, and seafood. Their Hibachi fried rice and Shishito Togarashi were a few more good dishes. With over 20 sake options (none served hot, unfortunately), the restaurant is ideal for small bites, drinks, and authentic izakaya vibes. No sushi here so do not expect it. That said, whether you're craving skewers or curry, Shinya delivers a unique experience in the neighborhood. read more

I was there a couple weeks ago. The waitress was extremely rude, the unagi made me extremely sick! Won't be going back here.. there are much better food options! read more

Izakayas are difficult to replicate in US. The word itself is entrenched in Japanese work philosophy. It's a place for after-work relaxation, where salarypeople gather to drink beer and nibble on food, where it's sometimes boisterous, sometimes crowded. Cigarette smoke might perfume the air. That being said, Izakaya Shinya comes close to hitting the mark. Chicago admittedly does not have many Japanese food options compared to other major US cities, particularly at a decent price point (Momotaro comes to mind). The interior is decorated nicely and according to theme. The ceiling was decorated with upside down umbrellas, which helped with ambient lighting. Service was a little slow; it seemed like they were still figuring out the pace of the restaurant. Food-wise, we had a good portion of the menu. Izakayas will usually serve tapas, small plates, whatever you want to call it. The yakitori should be a bit more Smokey, but was cooked appropriately. The takoyaki was interesting, with a very gooey interior. I enjoyed how the karaage was fried, but wished that it came with a lemon wedge to help cut the oils. We polished off the meal with a hamachi collar, which was very miso-y and cooked perfectly. I also had a chazuke, which I was very excited about since you don't always see this item in American Japanese restaurants. Lastly, there is a good selection of beer: the trifecta - Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin. Of course, you can come to an izakaya without ordering a beer or two, but then where's the vibe in that? Overall, the restaurant manages to hit the necessary points for qualifying as a basic izakaya in my books. read more

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A Sunday evening; the restaurant was packed! The staff was friendly and navigated the menu with us; and we had a good meal, a variety of authentic cuisine offered across the menu. Below is what we ordered! Overall a good meal Takoyaki Gyoza Okonomiyaki Oyakodon Yakitori Negima (chicken And Onion) Tsukune (chicken Meatball Served With Quail Egg) Momo (chicken And Shiso) Negi (leek) Shishito Togarashi (shishito Pepper) Wagyu (wagyu Skewer) Hotategai (scallop) Hamachi Kama (yellowtail Collar) read more

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SUPER BUSY Sunday night!!! Just keep that in mind. I genuinely feel bad for the workers here. You can tell they are trying their best to give great service but it's just too much for their small staff. Either hire more people or have a limit on customers. Gyoza First thing noticed they came out cold. Other than that they are okay, decent flavor and crunch. Takoyaki Loved the flavor but unfortunately the octopus inside is tough and chewy definitely overcooked. Seafood udon Plate choice is aesthetically pleasing. The actual food looked a little sad like it was sitting out for a bit (the picture provided makes it look much better than in person). Doesn't excite me to dig into my dish. Was honestly expecting more of a ramen situation so just a bit confused. Does have some good flavor and looks like they didn't skimp out on seafood ingredients. Hibachi beef fried rice Plenty of beef in this dish and it was delicious. But for a rice dish there was hardly any rice. read more

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Was honestly very impressed with this spot and had good asian food especially for chicago. I liked the way they seasoned their meats especially the wagyu skewer which was probably my favorite. One of the items to skip was the fried rice which was way too salty and just not authentic. I also liked the booths they had as they were private while still being able to enjoy the atmosphere of the restaurant. One of the best parts was also the music. They were playing bops after bops which really added to the great time we were already having. One thing to note is that the food ends up being pretty pricy (except the eel which was a great deal!). We went with a group of 5 and it came out to $35 pp. Overall I would come back for the food and music. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Liana was absolutely wonderful!! Food was tasty cheap and came out fast. I enjoyed a large late night meal with a large group and they staff were incredibly accommodating. The vibe of this place is immaculate. read more

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The owners spent more time and money on the decor of the place than the food. For the price, Izakaya Shinya is a boondoggle designed to lure in the hapless residents of Wicker Park. We ordered some karaage, skewers, and gyudon for the four of us. The karaage was unremarkable because it tasted like a regular fried chicken. I'm no expert, but It should be a chicken thigh marinated in ginger, garlic, soy maybe sake or some kind of neutral grain spirit, dredged through potato starch and twice fried. The gyudon bowl came out 90% don and 10% gyu, disappointing -- flavored like bulgogi instead of gyudon. No dashi notes to speak of, more sweet than savory. The skewers too were inconsistent, some came out on skewers, some didn't. No hallmark signs of konro or binchotan grilling in any of the items so they could have been pan seared and skewered after for all I know. I usually don't comment on the service if the food is right, but the food wasn't right so here goes: mans got our order wrong multiple times, couldn't really hear us after repeating the order multiple times, and appeared to be wearing boxer briefs instead of pants at service. Deeply unserious place and will not return. The food and 4 drinks during happy hour was around $240. The chicken meatballs weren't bad. Two stars. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Décor - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I randomly came across this place and actually dined during their soft opening and was blown away from that initial experience that I came back again. I went on a Thursday night around 6:30 pm; not super busy/walk-in friendly. I ordered the ebi skewer, scallops, unagi don, and the takoyaki. Between my friend and I, the portions were surprisingly filling. If there's one thing to get, it would be the unagi don-it was sweet/savory, fatty and just melts in your mouth. The rice bowl also comes with a side of miso soup. I also ordered the Hawaii tiki piña colada, which definitely hits the spot if you want alcohol, but not the alcohol forward taste. My friend got the Okinawa passion fruit mojito which was also very good/on the sweeter side. Place overall is clean, had great vibes, staff were courteous, and overall service was great! This is def a new go to late night spot for me. read more

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This is such a cool spot. You feel like you're truly in an izakaya in Japan. The inside was pretty small but they do take reservations. The food was a 10/10. Everything we got was better than the next. The okonomiyaki and the gyudon were legitimately out of this world. The only downsides to the restaurant were the service and wait time. Servers were all over the place and it took 2 hours to get all of our food. Glad they were busy but everyone was frantic. read more

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First visit to Wicker Park and found this place based on map search and reviews. It's small and cozy and has a good menu to accommodate us and our teens. We ordered a variety of grilled items - including negi, shishito pepper, mackerel, chicken livers, and chicken and shiso along with white rice and a scallop dish. Everything was delicious. The liver was especially sumptuous (well prepared and seasoned, creamy texture) and the large piece of mackerel was cooked and seasoned perfectly; really nice glaze. Our daughters each had the chicken katsu which had a curry flavor and really delicious cooked carrots. We would definitely return to this place if we visit Chicago again! read more

Really good yakitori! We're traveling to Japan next April, so I'm trying to prep myself with food here so I can compare to the food in the motherland. We made a reservation, and thank goodness we did. This place is VERY small. Everyone seems to be on top of each other, and it was totally packed! We were seated right away, but unfortunately got the table right by the door, so napkins were blowing everywhere and it wasn't comfortable. Honestly, not the restaurants fault, but we'd definitely wait for a different seat next time. Service was okay given the amount of people inside, but it seemed a bit disorganized. Again, small place with lots of people and barely any room for the waiters/bartenders to move about, so it wasn't a huge deal. Food was great, and the karaage+takoyaki is a MUST. Skewers were super good too, and the only thing I didn't love was the chicken skin. Fried chicken skin is top tier, but when it's grilled, I guess it's a bit too chewy textured for my liking. Would definitely come back on a non-weekend so it's not as packed, but it's nice to see these kinds of places hustling and bustling with business! (We were eavesdropping on walk-ins and the manager (?) was doing a great job of getting everyone seated despite 0 waiting space in front!) read more

Well curated Japanese pub food menu. The yakitori items were well prepared, granted for the price a couple more slices would've made sense. Good drinks list, the okonomiyaki is a tad salty but a generous amount of protein. The service is good, it's a new neighborhood spot that's good for a special night out or date night. Bar seating is well spaced out, with a few tables in the front and the back rooms read more

AMAZING spot for any time of night/ late night. The ambiance is so great, love the decor, music, staff, and most importantly FOOD! The takoyaki, wagyu skewer, and karrage were the standouts of the unbelievable things we ordered. They have alcohol but it's also BYOB which is great for groups. Will definitely be returning!!! read more

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A group of us came for karaoke. The food was amazing. Food was amazing and drinks were perfectly made. Karaoke was a great time. Our server Diana was so good. We will definitely be going back! Great atmosphere, good food and amazing service. read more

walked in on a wednesday night at 6pm for dinner, no wait. the restaurant has a few traditional japanese style table/seating, a few tables in the middle, and high tables along the one side of the wall. ordered a few things including chicken skin, chicken gizzards, mackerel (non-holy), wagu, shiitake mushroom, king oyster, and two taki wasabi. had a bottle of kirin followed by a pina colada. the food is on point. the flavors are there. the wagu beef was very tender as expected. it's served on a fire pit which i thought was left on too long from the kitchen to the table. one side got very toasted aka burnt, the restaurant needs to time that better. the mackerel was cooked nicely, tender and juicy. the taki wasabi was my favorite... i had it twice. had it again as a dessert they don't skimp on the wasabi. the chicken gizzards were a hearty chew. chicken skin was delish, that was also a top fav of mine. overall i would definitely stop in here again next time i'm in the area. read more

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Now I love yakitori so imagine my unadulterated glee finding out this place was opening. After working at a great Japanese restaurant for many years I love focused restaurants. The food here is absolutely incredible. The ambience is to die for. And it's gonna be open until 2am? Sold. The drink ingredients were very well thought out, and the whole vibe is just fun. Nicole was very kind and she brought food out quickly and in order. The only feedback I have is that the menu should list allergens or perhaps have denotations on the big ones like dairy free and gluten free instead of just vegan. I didn't receive my miso soup with my ikura don, but that's okay, the kitchen is still within soft launch! I can't wait to come back and try some grilled mochi. read more

A cozy & cute izakaya with great music and food. authentic and wonderful service. hannah was lovely! have been twice and will be back again. a great place to impress guests with chicago's unique food scene. read more

Wow such a cute date night or night out with friends place. The food was really good, we got a bunch of skewers and okonomiyaki. Ended with matcha ice cream. Everything was good. Place is a bit pricey but nice for a special dinner. Service was very good. read more

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What a gem of a place that just opened! Went here for dinner with friends and had a wonderful izakaya experience. Good food, had Chazuke and takoyaki. Meal was quick and servers were all helpful and friendly! Really enjoyed the cocktails we ordered. Got the passion fruit mojito. The ambiance and decor is lovely and I could just share at the ceiling. Highly recommend this new spot! read more

Izakaya Shinya - Decor - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I hesitate to write this review because this restaurant is so good, I selfishly want to keep it a secret. The food, service, and atmosphere are all fantastic; and the prices are very affordable. We tried roughly half the items under the Yakitori portion of the menu, and the Neganegi (leak), Zukkini, and Tsukune (chicken meatball) were our standout favorites. From the starters, the Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki are also definite must-orders, but to be fair it's hard to go wrong with these dishes in general. Unfortunately our visit was pre-cocktail menu, but the house sake was tasty and sweet (and a broadly palatable choice for those new to sake); and Sapporo (a Japanese beer) is a classic choice for an Izakaya experience. While we were already quite stuffed at this point, we still had to try a dessert. We ordered the grilled mochi, which kind of tasted like a marshmallow mochi. Probably not a flavor we'd order again, but it was very unique. Definitely eat at this place before it becomes too popular! I know we'll be back both for the stellar food and to try the new cocktail menu when it's launched. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Menu - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was bangin. Hamachi Kama and gizzard skewer specially! Drinks were fun. Nicole and Celia were great! Come thru! read more

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This Izakaya is open from 5:00 pm through 2:00 am. Perfect for a late night stop. This Izakaya has a large selection of Yakitori and a variety of small plates. I was trying to match the experience of the small Izakaya found outside the rail stations in Japan however most of those are much smaller and intimate. The Japanese decor was nice and I liked the dolls by the bar and the umbrellas over head. Service was attentive with no complaints from me. Food was good. Wagyu beef was tender and flavored well. Shrimp grilled head on with a nice crunch to them. The beef tendon felt like the collagen would go right to my knees. Very thick pieces Crisp on the outsides and chewy inside. Chicken skins were also crisp only on the outsides. I prefer mine crisp all the way through but that might just be difference in the style of cooking. Desert of macha ice cream was a refreshing end to the meal. The presentation of the food was not exciting. Skewered meats on the same rectangular plates. The wagyu came on a charcoal grill but the waitress asked if we wanted to remove it when the beef skewer was gone. My mistake was to let it go. If she had suggested we put the other skewers onto the grill instead it would have improved the experience. There is a big selection of whiskey but we weren't drinking. I think this Izakaya would be more inviting if the owner would have a chefs selection of plates paired with a beer or whiskey (cheaper if alcohol not included). Parking in this part of Wicker park was easy. read more

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Tried this new izakaya style restaurant that just opened. Ambiance and decor was nice. Our server was very friendly, food was decent, cocktails could use some work. Highlights: Our server was very nice and attentive 5/5 Tako-Wasabi was probably my favorite! Never thought I'd like the raw octopus so much. 5/5 Torikawa (chicken skin) was crispy and not too salty 4/5 Sunagimo (chicken gizzard) was also tasty 4/5 Gyutan (beef tongue) 3/5 could use some more tare and/or a lemon wedge Could be better: Drinks 2/5 We got the Spicy Margarita and the Yuzu Citrus cocktails. Both drinks tasted pretty watered down and like seltzers. Maybe some more mixer? Maybe less melted ice? These have potential but could be better with some more R&D. Price can't be beat! 5/5 I hope to return in the future after they've been open for a few weeks read more

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So excited about this addition to the neighborhood! I lived in Japan in my early 20's and have fond memories of spots like this - which are oddly hard to find in Chicago. Service and ambiance were solid and we enjoyed everything we ordered! Standouts for us were: - Spicy Margaritas: HUGE and plenty of kick. Really liked the inclusion of the shishito pepper which was a nice twist. - CHICKEN SKIN: If you've never been to an Izakaya don't skip this skewer. Crispy, fatty, and lots of flavor. - Beef Tongue: Served almost like mini Korean bbq. Smoky and moist. - Chicken Katsu Don: one of my fav comfort foods! Chicken was super crispy. Wish it had more sauce though! We brought our 3 year old and she loved the Gyoza, Sweet Potato and Miso Soup - so def kid friendly! read more

Izakaya Shinya - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time trying Izakaya Shinya just so happened to be a week after my trip from Japan. We met up with some friends and we were pleasantly surprised by the ambiance! I felt like I was transported to Japan. The yakitori and okonomiyaki were very good! More recently we went back and tried the unagi yakitori, chicken katsu don, and the vegetarian ramen and split a bottle of sake. Everything was delicious and was much needed on a cold day! Service was great and quick. Highly recommend! read more

TL;DR Very pleasantly surprised by this Izakaya. Unlike many restaurants in Chicago that are only loosely based around Izakaya culture this spot actually delivers. Great friendly service, food was delicious and came out quickly and cute decor/pop music does a pretty great job of visually transporting me back to Shinjuku (well as close as I've gotten in Chicago ;P) Don't miss the must have gyudon! Details: This spot has been on my list for a while now, and if I'm honest I've always been kind of let down by Izakaya style restaurants in Chicago. They either totally miss the mark with the food they offer or they're just priced stupidly high. Shinya was like a breath of fresh air, an actual izakaya that serves izakaya food + booze and is actually open late! Finally an actual izakaya!! Here are the dishes we had from good to best (nothing at all was bad): Zucchini + mentaiko: Perfectly grilled zucchini topped with a pollack roe sauce and torched until slightly set. This was a perfect break from the more decadent skewers. The zucchini had just the right amount of grill and wasn't mushy and the mentaiko was subtle and not too salty or fishy.7/10 Miso Nasu: Soft broiled eggplant slices with a sweet, tangy & savory miso glaze. It tastes exactly like it looks and like you're hoping it will, delicious! Only wish there was a bit more of it :P 8/10 Torikawa (chicken skin): Think chicharron but instead of pork it's chicken. The chicken skin was perfectly cooked on the skewer and shatteringly crunchy. I'm not sure how they were able to get the entire skin so crispy but it is very impressive, like they were fried not grilled. Typically the middle sections of torikawa are just a little bit chewy since the grill doesn't reach that area as well (some people even like that chewy/crunchy contrast). The perfect bar food with an ice cold mug of Sapporo or Kirin. 9/10 Negima (chicken + large green onion): Juicy chunks of chicken charred to perfection and glazed with sweet sticky tare. If you've never had yakitori then this is the perfect entry point. Simple ingredients that are transformed into something wonderful on the grill. The way this izakaya cuts the onion was a pleasant surprise, I wasn't expecting that lengthwise negi. The way each layer of the green onion gets a little char on its edges and starts to pull apart was very pleasant to eat. Some other places when the negi chunks are quite large the inner parts don't cook quite as soft as the exterior. 8/10 Chicken Katsudon: Crispy fried chicken thighs smothered in savory rich curry sitting atop a massive mound of white rice. Paired with some thin shredded cabbage and a miso soup it's such a comforting and delicious meal. If you're looking for a single comfort meal to warm you from the inside out this winter then look no further. This single dish is enough to satisfy a large appetite on its own. 8/10 Gyudon: Beef bowl. I would f'n live inside this gyudon bowl. How do they get it so delicious, so savory? Is it some sort of wagyu fat? I don't know what magic Shinya is doing back there but this gyudon was as good if not better than many I had in Tokyo. It's everything I was hoping it would be and more. The addition of the mixed egg added to the richness while simultaneously cutting it a bit with the egg whites. The flavor of the meat has that super umami richness that coats the mouth and tastes like the best parts of bone marrow. I'm not sure if it's the cuts of meat they use, their dashi or the sake they use but THIS. BOWL. WAS. PERFECT. I ate the entire bowl of rice underneath which almost never happens, but the topping was so wonderfully decadent I gladly plowed through it all. Some togarashi and beni shoga served along side would have completed the Tokyo late night eats experience but it wasn't essential. If you need something to instantly sober you up and fill your heart with joy then this bowl of meat, egg, onions, and rice is one of the best I've found! 10/10! Will be back for more. read more

Whether or not you'll be wowed by Shinya highly depends on what you order. It's a huge menu for an Izakaya, particularly one with such a small kitchen, and I would almost prefer they pare down their menu and focus on what they're really good at, which, from my experience dining with a group of 8 is: skewers and rice bowls. Dumplings taste like they came out of a freezer somewhere and their okonomiyaki is oddly thin-battered and bonito-flake heavy, low on the veggies and other ingredients. Like they tried to cross okonomiyaki with a Neapolitan pizza, but badly. However - the rice in their donburi is noticeably high quality and well cooked (even to this diner, who is not a rice snob at all), and they keep the toppings generous enough so you don't just end up with a bunch of bites of (really good) rice in the bottom. I liked the salmon/roe bowl and its balance of flavors. Every single skewer I tried was fantastic - every unusual part of the chicken (liver, gizzards, heart, etc), the eel, and especially the miso eggplant. I would probably stick to these on future visits because they simply didn't miss. Except I guess for their shisito peppers, which were technically on the skewer menu but just came out piled under a wildly waving mess of bonito flakes and were weirdly dry. If you're craving takoyaki, you won't be mad here. At least they give you a sizable chunk of octopus. read more

This is definitely authentic Japanese Izakaya! The only one and best one in the city. I had the Wagyu, eggplant, beef tongue, and all chicken part broken down. Everything is amazing. Service is super friendly and fast, even they are very busy. I also love the interior decoration, just make me feel like I'm in Japanese town. This shop is definitely underrated at 4.5, they should be at least 4.8 rating. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Very tasty cocktail only $10?! Is insane! - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place with good decorations and a nice ambience. Love that it's open late. Great selection of sake. Came on a Friday night and got: Wasabi octopus - very good and fresh Chicken katsu - the curry was cold which was not ideal, but the chicken katsu itself was tender and had great flavor Hamachi - very tender, well flavored. Probably the highlight of the meal Unagi - also very tender and flavorful, though was a bit on the colder side on first bite. Would definitely come back again to try other things on the menu. read more

Ordered the Gyudon via delivery. A ton of rice. But the minuscule amount of beef was mixed in with the egg. Also, there's a lot of uncooked egg whites making the dish slimy. Giving 1 extra star because the Miso soup was good. read more

Izakaya Shinya - Gyudon (Beef Rice) Miso Soup - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The place is such a cozy Japanese bar. The chicken wings were super crispy and juicy. The sweet potato was also crazy good. Service was fast and they're super chill workers there. read more

Izakaya Shinya - 30. Tebamoto (Grilled Chicken Wings) - Ramen Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My boyfriend and I came to try this new Izakaya during their soft opening. I think at the time it was like their second week of opening. The restaurant interior was very pretty with all the lanterns. We wanted to sample their yakitori. We ordered the chicken heart $3 that they recommended, wagyu skewer $9, the chicken meatball with quail egg $7, shishito peppers $4, unagi $8, miso eggplant $5, and karage $9. Each plate only had one skewer and a bunch of shredded cabbage. I thought the quail egg that came with the chicken meatball was going to inside the meatball but it was on the side raw. We ended up eating the meatball and not touching the quail egg. Personally I think the portions were small for the price. My boyfriend and I spent about $48 and we were both still hungry so we went to another place down the block and ordered a sandwich. read more

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