Get to Know Chicago's Izakayas: Japan's Answer to the Irish Pub

Few place beat a strong neighborhood public house : an inviting , no - flounce spot with cracking food and a smattering of sottish options . So it ’s surprising that izakayas – Japan ’s answer to the US ’s omnipresent Irish pubs – have n’t take off here like they have on the coast , since Chicagoans love drink food almost as much as boozing . It could be that izakayas occur with a slightly unconscionable erudition bend than your average quoin Irish prevention – but that also prepare for a much more interesting experience . Instead of Warren E. Burger and nestling , chintzy whiskey , and watery brew , you ’ll retrieve more adventurous pocket-size plates likeiko shiokara(fermented squid),takoyaki(octopus dumplings ) , andkorokke(potato croquettes ) to go with a mixture of food - friendly sakes , shochus , Japanese whisky , and beers . Brian Mita , co - owner with his mother Helen Mita of homespun Japanese - American pub Izakaya Mita in Bucktown , is n’t surprised that izakayas have n’t caught on in Chicago as they have in LA or NYC , since so few Nipponese expat settle in the metropolis . The majority move to the northwest suburbs , where izakayas have flourish , like the 27 - year - old Izakaya Sankyu in Mount Prospect . “There are many different styles to izakayas , ” he order . “ A lot of them are sake bars , some are beer Hall ; some are very high end and some more dwelling house - mode , which we fit into . ”

" Most Chicago izakayas offer some variance onkara age(deep fried wimp ) andokonomiyaki , an umami - rich Japanese seafood flapcake that might be the world ’s gross intoxicant poriferan . "

Regardless , the great unwashed should n’t get too hung up on navigating new or unfamiliar dishes and drink because izakayas are above all about unwinding . “ It ’s really about eating and imbibing . It ’s a place for friends , ” Mita say . moot izakaya transportation as essentially Japanese tapas : addicting , savoury small plates that go well with booze . Most Chicago izakayas offer some variance onkara age(deep fry chicken ) andokonomiyaki , an umami - rich Japanese seafood hotcake that might be the world ’s staring inebriant parasite . Others pore menus around barbecued essence and veggie skewers . Izakaya Mita ’s grillroom use char hot , smokeless bincho tan coals , which render wimp skins as crackly as chicharrones andtsukune(chicken meatball ) crusty outside and juicy at heart , and butterball porc abdomen lightly char and smoky . More adventuresome feeder can try Mita ’s favorite , shishamo , grilled smelts “ with bones so tiny you could eat ‘ em from forefront to tail ; ” or the boldly authenticsake no tsumamitrio ofika shiokara(brined squid composition turn in squid guts),takowasa(wasabi - marinate raw octopus ) andchuka iidako(marinated roil baby octopus).For the bunch that ’s not quite as versed in Japanese culinary art , Mita and Chef Toshi Motegi created some “ world-wide purpose ” crowd pleasers , like ramen andyaki soba , a tempura plane section with everything from shrimp and onion ring to a nod to mozzarella spliff ( chizuwith marinara and pesto ) , and rice sliders – a fun on burgers andyaki onigiri(grilled rice balls ) made up of Elmer Rice topped with beef , fried fish , Gallus gallus , or the best - sellingebi mayo(tempura shrimp and wasabi mayo).“If you go to Japan , you ’ll get hold all mommy - and - pop smear that specialize in one matter like ramen , okonomiyaki , or groom and have blood out the doorway all Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , ” Mita says . “ That ’s one of the thing that ’s different in American - style izakayas like ours – you have to have a good cooking stove of cuisines or styles . ”But no sushi , he adds firmly . “ You ca n’t please everybody . ”No warm saki either , which is the second element in a sake bomb besides washy beer , the uniquely American custom some of us might call back pound at cheap karaoke joints in college . “ We ’re not a sake bomb form of topographic point , ” he says . rather , Mita craft a chilled sake platform of 15 food for thought - friendly imports ranging from unobjectionable and flowered to lightly gratifying to rich and creamy . Most citizenry can determine one they care , he say . “ There ’s a expression in Japanese that interest does n’t get in fight with solid food . ”Or you could sip one of a dozenshochus , the voguish , individual - distilled cousin-german to lower - ABV Korean soju along with five Japanese whiskys , 15 muster and bottled beers or a rotating cocktail list showcasing Nipponese smack . Kansai - san , the pinkish patio pounder asterisk yuzu sake and hibiscus syrup makes for an ideal foil to spicy , texturalebi mayosliders . Then Mita may sidle up to your table and ask if you like kick jerky and fish . Before you know it , you ’re noshing on piquant broiledkawahaki(filefish jerk ) with kewpie mayo and sip a creamy , subtly angelic Dreamy Clouds nigori sake as another hour drifts by to the procession and declination of chattering in the bar . “We like to encourage people to try something new , but we also examine to keep it light , ” Mita allege . “ It ’s about the experience . That ’s the magic of izakaya . ”Here are seven smear in Chicago to sense said illusion .

Empty interior of Ani with chefs behind bar

Ani

Izakaya Mita

This call for Bucktown pothouse channels old - schoolhouse izakayas with its slow - going atmosphere featuring oak accents and Nipponese bric - a - brac above the cake and a fare of East - meets - West shareable plates from Chef Toshi Motegi and Nipponese drinks . take up with spicy Chinese - style Cucumis sativus ( fondly poached from Izakaya Sankyu in Mount Prospect ) and meaty skewer grill overbincho tan . Among substantial plates , do n’t miss the delicategyu tataki , with fanned slices of ponzu - dressed rare sirloin or thetonkatsu(deep - fry pork escallop ) . favorable staff will expertly guide you on a Japanese drinking tour via 15 sakes , 11 shochus , five whisky , and 15 draft and bottled beers .

The Izakaya at Momotaro

Underneath the voguish Nipponese behemoth Momotaro is the equally swish – if slightly less button - up izakaya anchored by a U - shaped bar . There ’s plenty to wassail , include cocktail , sake , beer , wine , and whisky , but it ’s the belittled menu of mostly savory shareable shell that sets this post apart including by chance killer star sign - made loot . Two rectangles of elegantunitoasts are generously heaped with creamy , oceanic sea urchin heated with a bit of savory chorizo and cooled by pickled celery . Juicy , crispy - skinned volaille thigh skewer will channel you to the streets of Tokyo , while audibly sizzling clams swim in bright , savoury saki - spike broth that you ’ll want to douse up with more of that pantry , springy toast .

Yusho

The bluff small plate oppose the bustling energy at this Japanese street food spot that ’s something of a love letter of the alphabet to Tokyo . The mellow bar offers great hatful lines into the kitchen , where chef dexterously grill up everything from meaty octopus to juicy lamb meatballs and tenuous - skinned shishito peppers . Crunch on salmon and poulet skin while you sip a boozy soda or one of the redoubtable offer of Nipponese and domesticated beers . Then share a bowl ofmentaikocarbonara , a seaboard leaning take on the Italian pasta with savoury cod roe and bucatini from sis restaurant A10 . For executive chef / possessor Matthias Merges , izakaya is as much about the Department of Energy as the food for thought and boozing : “ A gravid izakaya has all the components of the experience : great environment , well - craft straightforward , whimsical food for thought , neat bar program , and a well-disposed , knowledgeable staff . ”

Sumi Robata

Sumi Robata angle fancier than traditional izakayas , but Chef Gene Kato ’s River North daub is a can’t - miss for minimalist Japanese grilling at its good . Kato helms the glass - enclosed , 26 foot robata grille where he like an expert chars bites of tender wagyu ribeye , teriyaki - slicked salmon , meaty Lentinus edodes , and even romaine . balance the grill items are graceful chill plates like cube bean curd with caviar and crispy ginger and velvety chicken liver mousse with Japanese table mustard . Pair your bite with a cooking stove of juiceless to rich sakes , 10 Japanese beers , or one of a few bottled cocktails . Start or terminate your nighttime down the stairs at the fire aftermath - themed charcoal bar , where a heftier list of craft cocktail includes Fleming Studied Abroad , tinged with peaty Laphroaig Scotch , lemon , ginger , and blank oak tree whiskey .

Booze Box

duck’s egg into the alley behind sleek West Loop sushi berth sushiDokku and follow the neon pink pointer through a heavy door and down the stairs to quite peradventure the coziest izakaya on this listing . It ’s also the only spot in the city where you could have interest on tap . methamphetamine stale , lightly flowered Bushido is perfect for washing down salty bite like smoked Salmon River skin sticks , crackly seaweed microchip , takoyaki , and beefytsukuneat the small-scale square bar dimly light by handcraft ruby lanterns . Thursday through Saturday nights get a picayune rowdier , with rotating DJs spinning vinyl group for well - plume ( and lubricated ) West Loop night owls .

Ani

spread in the former Chizakaya space , this two - year - old brother ( " Ani " means elder brother in Nipponese ) situation to Arami serve up a productive mix of Japanese menu , from sushi to noodle , rice bowls to robata item . But every Monday night is dedicate to izakaya , with a rotating menu of East - sports meeting - West dishes like fried oyster mushrooms with wasabi emollient andkaraagechicken , plus a roving saki pushcart that serves up a slight saki education with mesa - side $ 4 pours . “ Our weekly oblation are thing that people can finger familiar with but still get Japanese flavors , ” says owner Ty Fujimura . “ Nipponese cuisine is a much broad genre than just sushi . Or ramen for that matter . ” Do n’t worry sushi buff , the regular menu is still available on Mondays .

Lure Izakaya

This former Chinatown office was reborn in Lakeview in 2015 , and serve up earnestly good Japanese puff solid food . Do n’t let the nine - part menu ( organized by classical Japanese cookery trend ) or somewhat starkly modern interior stroke you – the food here childlike and richly consolatory . Standout stale ( kobachi ) item let in Wagyu carpaccio , with a drizzle of truffle crude and creamy tobiko , and marinade raw zuke salmon , zingy with rice acetum . They ’re also cracking at deep - frying ( agemono ) – evident inkara old age , crackly fried chicken hunks with rice and shavedbonito;ika geso , squid ramification with satisfying crunch ; and chef ’s special filleted tempura - fried whole cracker bonbon ( eye and all ) with ponzu dip . Wash it down with a selection of sakes , shochus or hopeful trade cocktail like the jalapeno- and Nipponese pickle - instill agave roundhouse .

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Izakaya Mita slider