Gaijin may be a small restaurant, but it makes a big impression the second you walk in. The dining…read moreroom isn't huge, but it has this lively energy that makes it feel exciting instead of crowded. I even was able to watch the chefs cooking just a few feet away. I could hear the sizzling from the grill, smell the food cooking, and by that point I was more than ready to eat. Our server was really nice and gave us a bunch of recommendations. Everything sounded good, but I ended up going with the Pork Belly Yakisoba. This dish was packed with flavor. The noodles had that smoky, slightly charred taste, and they were coated in just enough sauce to make every bite rich. The sauce brought a nice balance of savory, a little sweetness, and plenty of umami that soaked into the noodles. The pork belly was easily the best part. It was incredibly tender and juicy, with just enough fat that it practically melted in your mouth. Every piece had those caramelized edges that added even more flavor. Then you get the crunch from the cabbage and bean sprouts, the freshness from the scallions, and the little nutty flavor from the sesame that tied everything together. Hahaha I'd definitely come back. This is one of those dishes that sticked with me long after I left.

There are few places in general across the US that serve up okonomiyaki, so I was thrilled to find…read morethis spot near my office. Ultimately, the food was just ok. I got the pork okonomiyaki lunch set and added a fried egg to it. I like that the table has a built in grill to keep it warm (I'm a slow eater, so this is extra beneficial for me). The bacon was quite salty, compounded by the okonomi sauce. Hoping the kombu vegetables would offset this, I mixed them into each bite to no avail. The pandan coconut mochi donut holes I chose were probably the highlight. They were crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and there was ample sauce for dipping. I think some people would find the service top notch here--constantly checking in on me and keeping water refilled. I guess that came with a cost: 3% service charge automatically applied, and the server proactively brought over a digital payment system, so the 18% tip I selected calculated off the total leading to what was essentially a tip of 23%.

On Saturday, I visited Kumiko, a restaurant that was included in my itinerary for my solo trip to…read moreChicago. Fortunately, a reservation was canceled upon my arrival, and I was seated at the bar downstairs. There, I met the bartenders, Bridgett and Andrew. My knowledge of Japanese cuisine and spirits is limited, so I relied on Bridgett's recommendations. She was excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed everything she suggested. Andrew was also helpful when I inquired about a dish to order. The bartenders, service, and hospitality were exceptional. My cocktails and meals were also phenomenal. I hope to return to Kumiko in the future and share this experience with my loved ones.

The missus miraculously got a 1045pm table reservation for two (same day!) when we were in the Uber…read moreon the way to Fulton Market (area). The service was great - from checking in (they ask about allergies and whether you're there for food / drink), to ordering experience, to the walkthrough of the menu. I understand why this was on the world's best bars list at one point. We ordered the truffle milk toast, the fukubukuro (signature cocktails) and the pineapple fizz (specials) to start. We both liked the pineapple fizz, missus thought the toast was a bit strong. She did warm up to the fukubukuro though, it's very complex, and you start to appreciate it the more you drink it. She later ordered the Japanese potato salad, and I waited to order the moonrise daiquiri. They did run out if the clarified milk punch as we arrived but they made a spice-forward one that the missus didn't end up ordering. The potato salad was divine - even better than the toast. The kitchen closed though, dang now I wanna try the entire food menu. For last call on drinks (1130pm) we did the moonrise daiquiri (special) for me and the walk softly (signature) for the missus. Definitely worth the last minute reservation, but the bar doesn't seem to be reserved and we always saw seats available while we were there. I will say that michelin guide is well deserved here - it's pricey, and not an everyday treat, but the experience was worth it. Highly recommend for any trip to Chicago, especially first timers, even if you don't drink, they have an entire page of non-alcoholic drinks that we would have tried (missus isn't a drinker usually). The walk softly is definitely more one-dimensional than the fukubukuro, but not in a bad way. The daiquiri flight you have to drink in order - cocktail, sake, hojicha, cocktail. It tastes different the second time around. Overall the staff were attentive but not overbearing, and I never felt pressured to order. It's a great experience - would recommend even for the non-alcoholic patrons out there.

Kitchen open till 2 Great Sake Selection…read moreNew staff was great personality wise, needs some training but the food carried. Killer meal.

Disclaimer: I'm a New Yorker who's moved to Chicagoland so maybe I'm a bit snooty but the regular…read moreYelpers in the Midwest should always be viewed with a star and a 1/2 less than what is expected normally. Any bar with Yamazaki 18 is good in my book. We had lunch at Chubby Cattle so couldn't eat that much .: no skewers. The Sushi taco was good, pretty impressive with the thin seaweed that had a great crunch; didn't feel greasy at all. The seafood udon was decent; just a tad bit too salty is all. If you're into kushiyaki and what's presented here, definitely give it a try.

The express lunch deal is so good! You get to choose 3 items from a nice list of options for $21!…read moreIt's really nice if you want to try multiple things or are indecisive. I got the salmon bowl, the salmon avocado maki, and tuna crispy rice. The salmon bowl was definitely my favorite. The salmon was cooked very nicely so that it wasn't dry, and I loved the miso glaze that they put on top. It added a very nice sweetness to the salmon and created a very nice char. It was pretty small portion size though. The salmon avocado maki was solid too. It was the most filling! You get 5 pieces :) The tuna crispy rice was just alright. The rice part was good, but there was a bit too much mayo in the tuna. The miso soup that came complimentary with it was good too! I like how generous they were with the seaweed. Such a nice vibe inside! It's definitely a nicer spot, but still casual enough for lunch. I wanna come back for dinner! Service was quick and server was kind.

Kari's Rating 7.5/10…read more TDLR: -I was there a nice outdoor patio -Music is a little too loud for a normal conversation -Nothing's crazy special but the fish is fresh Came here with a friend at 5 PM on a Monday. The place wasn't that busy at this time but by the time we left around 6:30 it was pretty packed. Fish was decently fresh, not super creative combos out there like some places. I always get a salmon sashimi piece at the end to test the quality and it didn't disappoint. Everything else was fairly normal, probably not my favorite place in the city, but I got the job done.

Best Ramen ever. And the service is second to none. I like the ambience and the quality of foodread more

Amazing sushi and fantastic service! 10/10!…read moreIf you find yourself in the south loop then you must give this restaurant a try!

The service was great, super attentive. Kind gesture with a signed birthday menu…read more Sushi was fresh, with simple but great flavors. Didn't love the wagyu bao buns since it was more of a ground meat, similar to a kabob. But overall the food was good, atmosphere was perfect date night/special occasion, and we will definitely be back.

food: my favs were the tsukune dango and tsukune sliders. all the food that came out was yummy but…read morenothing blew me away and for the price i'd have hoped for a dish that made me want to come back but I didn't get that service: the staff was very nice and let us switch tables because it was hard to hear ambiance: really nice vibe especially when the dim the lights later into the night. gets really loud and was so hard to hear my partner across the table

I love Wasabi Ramen. Stopped in for a late lunch and was greeted with the familiar smell and…read morescenery. Had the tonkotsu with spice umami (it's always a hit), the sesame mai tai, and my husband had the spicy chicken paitan ramen and naked & famous. I was surprised at how tasty his ramen was! I may get it next time as it was as (if not more?!) delicious than my tonkotsu! I can't wait for next time.. this place has held up for years and I'm extremely confident it will continue to do so for many more.

Food was decent. I went for dinner and I was impressed with the salad, wings and ramen. Everything…read morehad some spice to it but it wasn't overpowering. Service was good. Waitress was attentive and definitely helped with good suggestions Ambiance is good. Very dimly lit but perfect for a good date night.

Came here for a business dinner with our sales rep. It had great reviews and came in on a Sunday…read morenight. We didn't make reservations but they accommodated us immediately and sat down. We had sushi, rolls, their specials and yakitori. What a great meal from beginning to end. The chef ended up sending us a special of salmon belly, ponzu and ikura on top. It sounds simple but what an amazing bite. It was complimentary from the chef and if I wasn't full I would have ordered another round. I highly recommend this place. You will not be disappointed and everything was absolutely fresh! Enjoy!

We've been wanting to try happy hour at Ikigai Sushi & Izakaya for a while. We started with a cold…read moreSapporo (no cocktails for happy hour), then went straight into the karaage (barely edible, the chicken used was so chewy and nasty, we couldn't finish it), sushi rolls (very fishy smell, not the best), and grilled kushiyaki skewers (these were my fav). Everything came out looking seriously tempting, but somewhat fell short.

One of the best Omakase experience I've ever had. I booked last minute during a Chicago business…read moretrip and was able to get a seating for one: I came at my time and had a drink alone at the bar and had an awesome conversation with the bartender Brandon who shared some stories about Japan with me. I was seated at the sushi bar shortly and to my surprise I had the chefs table all to myself! It was very beautifully decorated and clean and got to meet Chef Shoji. I was well taken care of by both the staff and Chef Shoji and he meticulously explained every dish and we chatted about everything from his time in America, Japan, and even shared some of my life stories. All in all the dinner service was about 90 minutes with maybe 12-15 or so dishes? I was absolutely satisfied and more. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience having personalized service!

Great omakase!! Loved the cuts of fish especially the toro. I dream about going back every now and…read morethen. Service was spectacular as well.

This place is expensive but the views and service make up for it…read more We each got to order our favorite drinks. Mine was a highball which really tasted like Tokyo, I was taken back on the first sip. We ordered the little gems, miso cod, edamame, duck yakisoba, hamachi sashimi, and chicken kaarage. Everything was good, and we didn't leave hungry so that's the good thing. I think you can go up there to get a drink and enjoy the views just the same, we went outside briefly for pix but recommend eating inside due to the windy conditions.

Ambiance is really the entire concept here. The right seat at Breakfast and you see a glorious…read moresunrise in the Fall. Always a view to the Lake and The Chicago River. The best wait staff in the City of Chicago. I recommend the Tokyo Breakfast and a glass of Dom Perignon for starters. For those more interested in a traditional Midwestern breakfast they have plenty of eggs and always perfectly prepared to your liking. The best seating for cocktails is actually their rooftop lounge that is literally on top of the Chicago River and again looking at Lake Michigan and Navy Pier. It is so Chicago I expect Abe Frohman might just be sitting next to me at dinner. Next time you need a day off work to play bookie, begin or end your day at Miru or in a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. Make sure Sloane Peterson buckles up and Bon Apettit !