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

Had our new years eve dinner here and we got seated quickly and the vibe was great!…read more We ordered a few things off the daily specials menu and was pleased to see the discounts at the end. Everything was good, but my favorites were the chicken skewers as the chicken was super tender and the smokiness/sauces on the skewers were really flavorful but not overwhelming. We got drinks and ended up ordering a decent amount of food, which was a little pricey but we decided it was worth it for the holiday.

So pleasantly surprised! Came in on a Friday night for a 6:30 reso and the place was empty BUT it…read morewas packed, seemingly by regulars, by the time we left. Service was a little slow at time but they got slammed very quickly and and we weren't in a rush. What we got: - chuturo nigiri - so buttery - hamachi nigiri - good flavor and cut - chili hotate - love the flavor - negi toro maki - good flavor - unakyu- fine a little on the sweeter side - Amai - not my favorite and I think the tuna had a strong fishy flavor Overall, good meal and pretty reasonable bill. Will definitely be coming back to check out the rest of the menu!

Such a wonderful spot! Fantastic happy hour. Everything was made fresh and tasted delicious…read more Service was super friendly, and they even brought out a free birthday mochi for my friend. We got the karage, three of the skewers , and the spicy salmon and tuna rolls. This place, along with the entrance is a bit hidden, so would love to see them market themselves more as I think it's a spot people would really love, especially for more affordable sushi in the River North area. Quiet and cozy ambiance for casual outings but also cute enough to be a date spot. Got seated immediately. Service was a bit slow, but that's only because they seemed to have one host/server working at the time, who was working super hard and kept a super pleasant and attentive vibe. I will definitely be back!

Gaoku was fun! Was in recently to catch up with a friend who spent the last couple of weeks in…read moreJapan. Another great addition to the Humboldt Park neighborhood, their take on hand rolls was really unqiue and interesting. They treat hand rolls like seaweed wrapped tacos, and the flavor of the spicy tuna and tempura shrimp were notable standouts. The hamachi was one I was less crazy about just due to flavor profile, but also I was feeling adventourous when I visited. But before that, we got an order of Oysters and Sakura Pork which were quite dressed up and the Pork serving as a clear favorite! We also ordered a round of miso soups for the table which were excellent! Lastly, I will absolutely be back for some more of the cocktails on the menu as I did have the humboldt afternoon, which is MALORT-based and so tasty. One funny thing was our server who told us that she was five shots in, which was idk kind of weird. Lastly, the inside is really sexy and dark and an absolute for date night!

We went for the Thursday night hand roll deals. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful. Very cozy…read morevibe inside, and no wait. The service was also quick and attentive.

I live in LA and have eaten at 20+ omakase restaurants, so I was curious what Chicago's scene had…read moreto offer. Omakase Shoji more than answered that question. The restaurant houses both an omakase counter and an izakaya, but in completely separate spaces. The omakase side is an intimate, beautifully designed counter with around 10 seats. We were the only guests that evening, so the whole experience felt wonderfully private -- just us, Chef Shoji, and the fish. Chef Shoji opens the meal by presenting the actual fish you'll be eating, all flown in twice a week from Japan or Spain. It immediately signals what kind of meal you're in for. The 20 courses were well-paced and the quality was consistent throughout. Nigiri and sashimi were pristine, but the hot dishes were equally impressive, which surprised me. Both sides of the menu showed real craft and attention to detail. Service was fantastic -- warm, attentive, and never stuffy. At $210 per person, it's a special occasion meal, but one that genuinely delivers on the price. As someone who eats a lot of omakase back home in LA, I wasn't sure what to expect. I left genuinely impressed. Highly recommend if you're looking for a serious sushi experience in Chicago!!!

We did the omakase dinner. Food was absolutely delicious. So fresh, unique and beautifully…read morepresented. Service was remarkable. It's a little gem. Small cozy place.

Found Momotaro through Bilt. Reservations were easy to make online. Moody Japanese, mid century…read moremodern design inside. Great spot for date night. It was packed inside! I got the chamomile tea, miso soup, Broccoli Goma-ae, and a few orders of nigiri. If you want freshly made-to-order, I would avoid the rolls as I saw them make a bunch ahead of time on trays. For dessert I got the Satsumaimo Taruto. All of the dishes were yummy! Portions were just right. Service was attentive and professional. In terms of quality, I can't say it's the absolute best sushi I've had, but it's still good and it's on par with the price and ambiance. Solid dinner spot. I would come back again!

I was really excited to eat here. I'd heard such incredible reviews, and truly the food was good. I…read morewould say I think it's slightly over hyped a bit but very clearly a spot that's loved since it's ALWAYS busy. The fish was fresh and I did enjoy my bites. I will say for what you get it's pricey and might leave you a little hungry if you're just ordering the sushi/nigiri. But again very good bites. Definitely make a reservation. I will say the server helped me pick gluten free options and asked if I was celiac (they have a GF menu so ask for that). The service was pretty slow, but again it's always packed. For reference I went on a Monday evening alone. It's for sure a vibey place. Great for birthdays or groups that are looking to have a fun night out. It's loud inside with music bumping so not exactly a place to sit and have conversations. Will say wish I could give this 3.5 stars because it wasn't bad just maybe not my vibe.

Went there for anniversary dinner and the staff went above and beyond. They have a solid venue that…read moresatisfies all pallets and the food taste is 10/10.

On this bitter cold Friday and having spent the last 5 days hunkered in my condominium, "Cabin…read moreFever" hit me like a lightning bolt, and I needed to get out and about. It was lunch time and I knew exactly what I wanted - Hot Soup; any kind of hot soup: Udon Ramen Soba Wonton Matzoh Ball It didn't matter as long as it was HOT! My wife investigated our choices and she came up with TenGoku Aburiya near Fulton Market. This small / lovely restaurant was very busy but we secured a table and their menu fit exactly what I wanted: I got their Maki Set + Udon which was Udon Soup that came with Spicy Tuna Roll and California Roll - PERFECT! My wife got a Bento Set which she loved Some hot Japanese Tea along with great service and a very quiet "Zen" like atmosphere, we couldn't be happier. Oh, I forgot, the price here for a ton of food was not Chicago prices, but Los Angeles prices which was unbelievably GREAT!

This place is special!…read more Immediately transported me back to Osaka when I walked in. Was at Taste of Randolph with a big group of friends and had to sneak off for a solo mission to get Okonomiyaki! Even though everywhere was insanely busy the host at Gaijin was so accommodating and sat me at the Chef's table. I was on a slight time restraint so I wasn't gone too long before my friends realized I was missing. The waitress was so nice and I was able to put in an order for a Highball and Pork Okonomiyaki very fast. Sipping on a Highball while watching the food cooking up in the kitchen captured the exact vibe I missed from Japan. The Pork Okonomiyaki was unreal! A taste and quality I never thought I would be able to get back home. Sweet, Savory, Umami, all the flavors that make them so addictive. I can't wait to return and bring friends. They have Hiroshima style with the yakisoba which I also miss from my travels there. We are going to have to order multiple of everything. & MUST try their donuts, they look dangerously good.

Great food place for okonomiyaki (Japanese cabbage pancakes) and kakigori (shaved ice)…read more We got the octopus Osaka-style, traditional Hiroshima-style, Gaijin salad, and black sesame kakigori.

My friend recommended me this place so bad, so I went with high expectations, hopefully he was…read moreright. Everything was delicious, I liked hot and sour soup so much, it was so tasty and flavorful. Steak was so juicy and sauce for that was amazing. We were there around 10pm on Friday night, but there was no wait, we were lucky. The restaurant is really beautiful, a lot of paintings, really nice ceiling decors. I will definitely go back and take my other friends with me.

I was hesitant to come here, but it was the only place that was open late. I ordered the sashimi…read moredinner plate and it was the worst quality sashimi and tasted very fishy. The service was also slow and unattentjve. .