Prefacing this review with the consideration of price, and I still feel the experience warrants five stars. Wonderful atmosphere perfect for a special occasion. Every detail is considered from the smell of the entrance to the female owned sake brands on the tasting to the table cutlery and vessels for each drink even the coasters are not an afterthought. Food and service are top notch and if you don't worry about the bill and just order you won't be hungry by the time you're done. That said don't come here if you want bargain sake or happy hour specials that's not the point. read more

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Came here with 2 friends for a drink because we heard many great things about this bar. We walked in on a sunday and got super lucky as they seated us relatively fast. Onto the drinks and dessert (no food sadly, maybe next time) I got the Ume Boulevardier, it was really good but why was it only half the glass?? Quite confused because I have never been served a half drink. They are lucky it tasted good. I forced my non-drinking friend to get a lychee martini because I love lychee martinis and I thought it would open her eyes but it didnt. Her eyes were still closed and I drank the entire thing. It was okay, nothing special. I've definitely had better lychee martinis in my life but I will say this one tasted more fresh. They probably didnt use lychee syrup like the others (unless they did then it woulda been awkward for this review. I forget what my 3rd friend got but it was milky and honestly very good. Very sweet and dessert like. Lastly we got the milk toast and yes what do you know, its fire. Honestly you cant really mess up milk toast. I will say this place is quite pricey because I feel like everything I drank and the dessert is quite common in Japan. (Sighs, because at this point its cheaper to not Japanese food for a year, buy a ticket and eat everything when I go to tokyo, but money comes and goes) Overall, I had a pleasant experience here. Girls, definitely make your dates take you here because if I didnt pay it woulda been a 5/5 star experience but since I had to pay I must dock it 1 star for the sole fact that my expensive ass cocktail was half full. read more

Kumiko - they gave me a half empty Ume Boulevardier... idk because its not giving classy serving customers a half empty drink. - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Such a lovely speakeasy style bar in Chicago. Although their specialty are their drinks, their dishes are really wonderful too. We tried their potato salad, karaage and akamiso secreto iberico. The fish in the akamiso secreto iberico was delicate, moist, and had a nice crispy skin. We paired it with a refreshing yet smoky cocktail. I also really loved their karaage! Ultra crispy with the perfect hint of citrus. In terms of service, they were absolutely wonderful. Very professional and kind. I left a note it was my boyfriend's birthday and the entire staff wrote him a birthday card which was so sweet. Thank you all for making his birthday special. read more

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It's such a lowkey door and look from the outside. But once you step inside, you're transported. It truly feels like you've walked into a sexy, sultry, and beautiful date night spot. The lights are dim, the music is perfect, the low tables are lit with candles. The service was 10/10 the whole night, every single waiter and waitress was on high alert and they didn't care who had which table. They wanted to help in any way possible. The drinks were the BEST part for me. The cocktails were expensive but worth every penny. Some of these flavors and items I had to look up. The menu was extensive but perfect. I didn't get to eat here, but the food looked delicious. I can't wait to come back and try the food. read more

If you've read any of my other reviews, you know I love cocktails. I love a nicely thought out and well-made drink. So, obviously I had to come to Kumiko, which is supposedly the best bar in the midwest (not entirely sure what the criteria is, but you figure if it's even being considered, it has to be good, right?). Given its popularity, it was no surprise that reservations were the way to go at this bar, even just for drinks. I was able to make reservations a couple weeks in advance for when we wanted to go, so it truly wasn't so bad. We arrived about five minutes before our reservations and were seated immediately after the hostess asked about dietary preference. She brought me a vegetarian menu to peruse even though we were only there for drinks and dessert, which was really nice of her. As soon as we were seated, we were brought out hot towels to clean up with - I LOVED this little touch! I wish more places would do this. The waitress then came to get our orders. They only offer one dessert option at Kumiko, but trust me: it is DELICIOUS. It's a truffle milk toast with fermented honey ice cream. I had truly no idea what to expect when ordering it, but it had some of my favorite things, so I took a chance and it so paid off. The dessert isn't cloyingly sweet, but it satisfies a sweet tooth with so many different savory flavors as well. It truly was different and I would go back for the dessert alone! I got two drinks as well: my first was the Sea Flower. It was light, refreshing, and everything I was promised and more. The "ocean dust" rim even was impeccable. My husband tried it and equally loved it! He had gotten one of their "pink drinks," which he said was unique, but was lacking a little in flavor and he would not get again. I don't remember the second drink I got, but it was equally yummy! Was it the best bar I've ever been to or were those the best cocktails I've ever had? Probably not, BUT the whole experience was really nice, especially for a special occasion, and I would happily come back! read more

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I'm going to preface this with the fact that the food, drinks, ambiance and service were excellent. If you're coming in for that with a big pocketbook, you're set. What I didn't like necessarily was the 20% service fee. I understand costs are going up, but we're getting service fees on every check at every restaurant now, usually 3-4% which is more reasonable, but I was ALSO told from a server that the 20% service fee DID NOT include the tip. Which is insane. So out the door, I spent 40% more than I would have on an already expensive check. I walked out spending just over $300 for 5 drinks, 5 apps and 1 dessert. Again, service was great, but I don't think I've ever paid 40% above the bill before tax out the door. read more

It is a good bar: for sure their cocktails are on fire (we have like 10 drinks (or even more) in total and all of them are great. Maybe only the first one wasn't superb). Their food is good too, but not something I would say out of this world. Overall, I like the place but what I don't like is that apparently they had time limit and I didn't know it. If I knew the quite short time limit, I would honestly choose a different place. It feels weird to be chased out quickly after dropping like $$$$ for the dinner. Also, they already automatically add the gratuity into the bill for those who don't really take a look at the bill closely like me. read more

Kumiko - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My favorite cocktail bar in Chicago They are so deserving of their spot as the best bar in Midwest. Truly a special experience elevated by the gentle, quiet energy that's often hard to find in West Loop. Kinda tough to snag a last minute reservation but bar seatings are first come first serve! Prepare to be charmed by Kumiko's extensive cocktail menu filled with delicate names. Loved the milk punch Clear to the eye but milky to your taste buds. It tastes bright and has this subtle sweet & creamy flavor that masks the alcohol taste. From the signature, try the sea flower - zesty, salty and fun. Ask for recs too bc the servers light up to share their favs! Food menu is limited but has the essentials. Treat it as a complement to your drinks, especially the pickles and nuts!! Do not leave without getting the truffle milk toast Perfectly toasted Japanese milk bread topped with fermented honey ice cream and truffle shavings. It's sweet and tastes so expensive. The perfect way to end your night. Sakura Milk Punch $20* Sea Flower $19* Otsukémono $4 Shiso Nori Cashews $7 Karaagé $13 Japanese potato salad $6 Truffle milk toast $15* 시카고에서 제일 좋아하는 칵테일바. 편하면서 고급지다. 미드 웨스트 넘버원 바 답게 테이블은 미리미리 예약해야 하지만 바 자리는 워크인 가능! 칵테일 리스트가 엄청난데 네이밍도 넘나 낭만적 취향을 말하면 서버분들이 열정적으로 추천해주신다. 안주는 술맛을 돋굳는 용으로 츠케모노랑 견과류 추천! 라이트하게 먹고 마무리는 트러플 토스트가 필수다 read more

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This restaurant is the singular reason that I'd like to be able to differentiate between a 4 & 5 star (e.g. 4.7 vs 5.0) review This is a 5.0 top to bottom, if you enjoy a low key but high class & even understated ambiance without pretentiousness... the modest entryway belies the amazing meal/cocktail experience you are about to embark on Main dining area is small/intimate/quiet enough to maintain a conversation with a good friend/date, with a lovely bar in the background churning out excellent cocktails. Servers are knowledgeable, attentive without being intrusive, friendly, give great recommendations for cocktails/apps/entrees/off menu items Went with a former co-worker last night - we sat at a two top not far from the bar on the main floor, and I don't think we had a single bite/sip that we didn't enjoy Highlights included the Triptych cocktail (which, as the menu describes, is indeed 'neither a martini nor a Manhattan, but equally silky and satisfying') - very crisp, nice cocktail to kick off the meal (their Manhattan was also excellent/smooth); for appetizers, the crudo was outstanding with a bit of spice and notes of citrus, and the karaage (fried chicken with pickled shishito peppers + kanzuuri mayo, oh mama) also a must try. For entrees, the A5 wagyu with truffle honey was buttery and melt in your mouth and my personal favorite bite (my dinner mate really enjoyed the off menu wagyu option as well) Truly deserving of a 5 star review, and recently named a "Top 50 bar" in the world, will be back as often as I can talk friends/family into enjoying a unique Chicago dining experience https://www.theworlds50best.com/bars/the-list/kumiko.html read more

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If you want an amazing experience, great whiskey, and great cocktails this is the place to go!

I was meeting a friend for drinks and dinner at Kumiko on a Friday night. His flight was so delayed that he was landing at our reservation time, so I went solo. They were great about it and I was seated at a nice table for two. My waiter was great. He gave very good recommendations when I was overwhelmed by their drink menu. I ended up with a cocktail called the New Wave, which was described as with notes of Japanese curry rice. It smelled exactly like Japanese curry, but had a smoky, whisky flavor. For my second drink, I had their Highball No. 9, which is their new take on a highball. Great, simple, refreshing. For food, I had the Nasu no Agebitashi, which is a fried and marinated eggplant with spinach and shiso. It was light, flavorful, and a great starter. This is a new menu item, and came highly recommended from my waiter. I also had the Seasonal Crudo, which was kasuzuke with sudachi coconut milk and fig leaf oil. This was one of the best dishes I had during this trip. Super fresh. To finish, I had the Yuzu Kosho Karage, which, of course, was juicy and crispy. For dessert, I went with the Truffle Milk Toast. I absolutely love that the toast is bruleed, so it gave it that nice crunch. There was a small food menu, but it's mostly small plates. If you're really hungry, I would recommend grabbing a meal somewhere else and then having drinks here - or vice versa. read more

Such a special cocktail bar -- intimate, elegant, and creative without ever feeling over the top. Every drink here is crafted with so much thought and balance, it's hard to pick just one favorite. Standouts for me: Clarified Milk Punch - smooth, layered, and complex yet easy to sip. Beautiful balance of flavors. Genmaicha Old Fashioned - a genius twist on the classic, with roasted tea notes that make it earthy, warm, and unforgettable. Olive Martini - clean, briny, and elevated -- simple but perfected in a way that makes you want to sip it slowly. The vibe is minimalist and calming, the service is warm and knowledgeable, and the whole experience feels like something to savor. A true gem in Chicago's cocktail scene. read more

Outstanding Japanese styled bar that rocks incredible food and even more incredible drinks and a must visit for anyone in Chicago. I was traveling solo so I made reservations at the bar and they are very serious on timing as you are expected to arrive on time, enjoy yourself for 90 minutes, then leave for the next guest. This place is very popular so they probably can't add a friend that happens to show up with your reservation. I sat at the bar and simple chatted with the bartender and discussed the types of drinks and food I like and if they could make any recommendations and honestly, that worked out very well for me as everything was amazing. Although I was hesitant to ordering fried chicken, the Karaaage was delicious, light, and truly elevated fried chicken to an artform that was oh so tasty. However the Wagyukatsu Sabdo was so good, it literally brought tears of joy to my eyes and taste buds as I could not believe how delicious this was as I was savoring every bite for maximum flavor. I have had A5 many times, but the presentation of this was unique for me and blew my mind. I did not write down all the sake tastings I tried as I had several, but all of them were outstanding and the cocktails were also spectacular. read more

We had an enjoyable experience here, but thought some things could be improved, since it's supposed to be an upscale restaurant. We had a reservation for dinner and drinks at 8pm on a Friday. We were seated promptly, but a server did not acknowledge us until 35 minutes after sitting. The menu was quite extensive and intimidating, I honestly had no idea what most of the cocktail ingredients were, but there were flavor descriptions in the menu, which was nice. When the server finally came, they were very helpful and made some recommendations. It was another 15 minutes before we got our cocktails. The cocktails were dangerously good, very smooth and well-balanced. I think the server said they batch the cocktails. I had the Triptych and my husband had the Hotel Amani (a special). We also got the seasonal hot cocktail, which was a blueberry old fashion, which i didn't love. My husband enjoyed it more as he drank it (and as his Hotel Amani kicked in). All the food we ordered was solid. My favorites were the karaage, potato salad, and washugyu tataki (special).I would def order these again, especially the karaage. The tataki was suuuuuper tender, but the accompanying mushrooms were too salty. We also had the yaki zakana and hand roll (special), which were solid. To finish we had the truffle milk toast, which I really enjoyed. My husband doesn't love truffle though. I thought the blend of flavors and textures, made the dessert really unique... but also a yummy and satisfying dessert. I loved it. It was a pricey dinner, perhaps a place you go for a special occasion. The quality of the food and cocktails were great and met expectations, but the service and ambience fell short. There was something going on with the music, where the volume was occasionally loud. 20% gratuity is included. I would consider coming back for a fancy cocktail, but probably not anytime soon. read more

Made reservations for me and my boyfriend on a Saturday on our visit to Chicago. We sat at the bar (if you rather sit at the bar, the hostess had mentioned you can put it in the notes when making your reservations, and when you check in, they'll accommodate you if available) which we prefer because we enjoy seeing how the bartenders make the drink. Everything from the taste of the food to how our drinks were made was amazing, however, my main issue with our visit, was how we were rushed out. Me and boyfriend came in, had a seat at the bar, ordered a drink, then proceeded to order food. While we were eating, the bartender had asked if we wanted to order a "last drink". We had thought it was odd, but brushed this off as a slip of the tongue. Our second round of drinks came and before my boyfriend even had a sip of his drink, the bartender brought our check over to us. We were both taken aback, as we weren't done ordering (this was our last night in Chicago), and it was only about 10:30, while last call is listed on the website at 11:15, which would also coincide with the 1.5 hour time hold on our reservation. Overall, to have waited weeks to finally visit this location, to be hastily rushed out after 45 minutes, was extremely disappointing. read more

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I got the opportunity to check both the ground floor and bottom floor of Kumiko, which have upscale ambience but each floor has a different emphasis on the drinks. My first visit was at the bottom floor, which has emphasis on whiskey and shochu, and my second visit was at the ground floor, which has a wider variety of cocktails. Both floors serve the same food menu. At the bottom floor, it is an intimate, dimly lit 8-10 seat bar that gives a speakeasy feel, as the host takes you down the back of the restaurant, down the stairs, into a hallway, before opening a door that leads to the bar. I got the Agony of the Leaf which was fairly herbal with a bit of carbonation. It featured Tomi No Houzan sweet potato shochu. At the ground floor, it features some of the popular cocktails featured, including one that is also the bartender's choice - the Sea Flower. I really loved the Sea Flower as it had a salt rim that consisted of kombu, salt, sugar, and MSG. Anything with MSG makes things gooood and this is no exception! I also tried the Walk Softly which is an elegant cocktail that drinks like a champagne. For food, I got the truffle milk toast and the toast is fairly soft and buttery and caramelized mostly for the texture. There is an apparent truffle flavor along with honey ice cream, and all the ingredients did not overpower one another. It was nicely balanced. Service is excellent. From the beginning to the end for both of my visits, I was well taken care of. There are a few more drinks I wanted to try, but I would have to save it for my next Chicago trip as they close Mondays and Tuesdays. In the meanwhile, this bar definitely deserves its position in the Top 50 Best Bars in the World list! read more

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TLDR: EVERYTHING was perfect and AMAZING!! I'd been meaning to try Kumiko's for about a year and I'm so glad I finally had the opportunity to go last month! The first thing I said to my bf when I walked in was, "Please let me just live here". I LOVE the woody, plant-heavy vibes! Dunno how to explain it but it reminded me of my grandma's 100-year-old home in Japan. Food: GET the Wagyukatsu Sando. It's $$$ but also (@_@). My inner fat-child cried from delight. I also loved the Misoyaki Sakana! It was just like my mom makes...except much smaller lol. I could've had 3 more orders of the Yuzu Kosho Karaage, tbh. Definitely wanted to order a bowl of white rice and just eat that for the rest of my life. To drink, I ordered the Umeboshi Chu-hi and it was just the perfect amount of sweet, savory, and tart. The service was just as impeccable as the food and I'm already looking forward to going back there in the near future. (I've definitely been looking at the menu since I went, and already see some newly added items!) read more

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Yummy cocktails and mocktails! And the interior design is gorgeous! A little bit pricey admittedly so would definitely be for a special occasion! read more

Kumiko - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My husband and I came here for after dinner drinks, conveniently located a block down from Oriole, where we had dined for dinner. We had a reservation at 9:15pm, and I'm glad we did make a reservation, as the place is not exactly tiny, but pretty packed, even at that late hour. They have an exciting list of cocktails, pages and pages. It was hard to choose, but I ended up getting the Cloud Hopper (Chiyonosono Rice Shōchū, Fidencio 'Clasico' Mezcal, Seasonal Fruit, Green Cardamom, Oat Milk, Yakult and Lemon) - which I thought was fine, but nothing really special. My husband's drink also felt the same way, good, but nothing really special. I can't remember what he even ordered. We also ordered the Karaage and Japanese Potato Salad as little bites on the side, and I really didn't care for either of them. I was a little disappointed in Kumiko, since our waiter from Oriole said the cocktail chef came from Oriole, then branched off to Kumiko. Oh well, guess not everything can be a huge win. If you want to get cocktails, I would still rather go to the Aviary. read more

The tasting menu, drink pairings (stirred and spirit free), and service were fantastic. We would definitely come back again!

I was able to get in but was very confused. I thought it was a pop-up concept. They have Simpson's character working there? I'm not talking about Apu. read more

Kumiko - Bartender - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We got the Moonrise Daiquiri, Sea Flower, Umeboshi Chuhi. My favorite was the Umeboshi Chuhi. Karaage: tasted good, but honestly not worth it to order this here. You can get equally good karaage at a lot of Japanese restaurants. Nasu no Agebitashi: eggplant was delicious, but again too expensive to be worth it. It is a very small portion size The interior of the restaurant is amazing. Very Zen and peaceful. In summary, I still think my favorite Japanese bar Angel's Share in NYC is better, but this is a great place for Chicagoans read more

Kumiko - Karaage - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We visited Kumiko on a Wednesday night. I recommend making reservations to ensure that you are able to sit and enjoy the full experience. The ambiance of Kumiko is a main selling point: the lighting is dim and warm, the interior is mostly wooden, and the feeling is very intimate. This would be a great date spot or a place to catch up with friends. Our server this night was very kind and helpful. However, it did take a while of our orders to be taken. In other times that I have come to Kumiko, I have had a hit-or-miss experience with the service, with servers being a bit more pretentious/snooty. However, my recent experiences have all been delightful, so take this comment with a grain of salt! The food and drink are amazing. I personally enjoy the food a bit more than the drinks, but I also am not that big of a drinker. Some food and drink highlights include: - Highball - Umeboshi Chu-hi - Walk Softly - Japanese potato salad - Karaage - Kani kuri-mu korokke - Truffle milk toast (a MUST!) Overall, this is a great place to go if you have friends from out of town that you want to impress. read more

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While it took a minute to be noticed, I quickly forgot after my first drink( it was a special so I won't name it but it had a little crushed ice in it and one of the most well balanced drink I have ever tasted). I like a sweeter profile but it was just right. My second drink was the Cloud Hopper and it was simply devine( a delicious oat milk based drink), aptly named as I floated to the sky while drinking . Food wise I had the Japanese curry fried rice with chicken, very good and filling. One of the larger entrees and the sauce was amazing with a hint of sweetness. I see why this place got recognized by the James Beard organization. A place I will frequent and recommend highly. The ambiance is a nice vibe! read more

We loved our experience here! The place overall has the simplicity of Japanese design but also a very warm/welcoming vibe. Our server was super knowledgeable and helpful in guiding us through what cocktails to order. I am not a huge whiskey drinker but I was able to try sips from the people in my party who did order whiskey drinks. The whiskey drinks were fantastic! They were options on some more whiskey forward cocktails vs not as whiskey forward and I really enjoyed the "non-whiskey" forward ones. I got the cocktail with their local cold brew which was one of my favorites of the night. The nutmeg was so warming and a great balance of all the flavors. We did end up ordering the Japanese toast with icecream. Bread was perfectly toasted. Icecream was delicious. I cannot wait to come back to try some more cocktails! read more

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Unprofessional service with hint of discriminationUnable to order the food because of lack of service. We couldn't get our order taken because nooo one came or even bother looking us in the eyes. The other person (white) who was also standing with us at the standing seat got served before us and got asked by the waiter if he wanted to sit. The person literally remarked we were here first, but the waiter said "naw that's fine" and intentionally decided to avoid us when we're one feet away within earshot. We didn't need to be seated - we just wanted to eat food. Very annoying, rude, and pretentious experience but here's hoping they get the life & respect they deserve. don't go here if you're not white - they're judging you based on how well they think you'll tip. They are high off of their juices if they think I'll dress up for some basic lychee infused vodka and a 7/11 sando. read more

What a cool experience! If you're looking for that big city, cool bar, but not necessarily trendy spot, this is it. Zero knocks on the decor, it's beautiful, warm, and welcoming. This is NOT the spot where you'll be going YES GURL and doing a tequila shot with 15 of your closest pals. This is the spot when you want an excellent cocktail. Something that is thoughtful, paired for your palette, and perfectly balanced. Rachel took care of us and helped us navigate the menu. It can seem intimidating if you don't know what some of the ingredients are or how they work together (it me). The presentations are beautiful. The milk punch came out clear which was fun. Loved the orange rind cut out. My Walk Softly (wine glass) was lovely. I really enjoyed it! I'd definitely come back for a special occasion as this spot is a rare gem. read more

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Such a cute date spot! Loved sitting at the bar and ordering some fun cocktails, we got lucky and had Julia Momosé as bartender that night. The ambiance and cocktails were just outstanding, super fun to talk through the flavors with Julia, even if I don't have as much of a remarkable palate :). Along with the cocktails, we got some bites as well including Fried Chicken Sando... which OMG. I wish they still had this on the menu... it was incredible. This sandwich was so good it had me on a quest to find other fried chicken sando's (/"katsu sando's") around the city.. and I unfortunately couldn't find any other restaurant that offers them. I hope Kumiko brings this back! Overall I'd love to come back here and grab another seat at the bar.. it's a great spot to bring out of towners you're looking to impress, or just to have an incredible, non-pretentious cocktail in the west loop :) read more

Kumiko - Chicken Sando... outstanding! Hope they bring this back :) - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing atmosphere! I love how bright and inviting their entrance is and then they bring you into a really warm and toasty dining space. Although they are known for their drinks and bar, we came for their food (drinks looked so beautiful, though! I am just NA.) We ordered 4 items to share between two people. This was definitely enough for a "big snack". -Yuzu kosho karaage 4/5. Super super crispy. Even after we waiting for like 20 minutes, this was still as crispy as we first got it! It was a tad salty but I enjoyed the citrus touch to these nuggets. -Asari no sakamushi 5/5. DELICIOUS. My favorite dish this evening. I looooved the onion garlic dashi. It was so umami and enhanced the clams so well. -Misoyaki sakana 4/5. The chef's selection was sea bass. Crispy skin side with the meat side faced down sitting on brown butter sauce. I really enjoyed the fish but the sauce was a bit too heavy for me -Tonkatsu Sando 3/5. Bread was really heavy and thick and tonkatsu wasn't anything special. I enjoyed the slaw though. Loved the ambiance here! A bit spendy but worth it for the vibes and service! read more

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What a beautiful and well thought place! It holds true to Japanese hospitality and zen. The cocktails, snacks and desserts were utterly delicious and something I will keeping thinking and remembering for a long time! Can't wait to go back. read more

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Walked in on a Saturday night. There weren't any seats available, but they did allow me to stand by the window sill. I got the cloud hopper. Light and fruity and sweet. You could really taste the oat milk and yakult, so reminiscent of my childhood. Slightly foamed on the top. A solid drink. The staff are very nice as well. They offered me a seat at the bar when one opened up, but I decided to keep standing since I was almost done. read more

Kumiko - Cloud Hopper - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Upscale, elegant atmosphere. Outstanding cocktails. Excellent dessert. The service was very personal and thoughtful, the staff even signed a card for the occasion we were celebrating! (We ordered the Goldfinch, Ume Boulevardier, Legent Manhattan, and the Truffle Milk Toast) read more

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A friend from out of state came and wanted to try this place! I heard from many that this place was great from restaurant week, so I was excited I got a chance to try it. We had reservations at 6 - right when they open and was seated just on time. Servers were very attentive and gave us solid advice on the menu. While we did not order drinks, the cocktails looked amazing and even the non alcoholic ones looked great! Chicken Kaarage - one of the best I ever had! I always judge how crispy how crispy it can be when order, but this was one of the best! I believe I tasted potato starch as the batter? Not much of a chef, but whatever they did it worked. The chicken itself was flavorful and juicy itself. Can 100% recommend to get this for whoever comes. 9.2/10 Clams - Was told this was a new addition to the menu. The clams were cooked fine, but what made this dish was the dashi soup it was based in. Very rich flavor that was perfect for the clams. I even ripped pieces of my tonkatsu bread to dip a bit of it. Another highly recommended dish. 8.9/10 Fish (sea bass?) - was told it was limited so we had to try it. The sauce itself tasted very caramel like. The fish was cooked well, but I felt sometimes the sauce was overwhelming with it. Even as a big fan of caramel, it was too sweet (?) for my taste. 7.3/10 Tonkatsu Sando - It was this one of the A5, we opted to get this one to get more dishes as we were on a slight budget. The tonkatsu itself was decent size, but wasn't as flavorful as I expected. The bread I wish was a little more fluffy, but was big bites. I heard they use the same bread for their dessert so would have been interesting in getting it, but was actually full by the end of it all! 7.4/10 read more

Kumiko - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Kumiko is one of my favorite bars- great for date nights particularly. It has a very elegant and cozy vibe inside and it's not for a wild night out but for a fun, chatty, and intimate get together. The drinks are also very well curated and the servers are very knowledgeable. It's not cheap but worth the occasional splurge! All drinks I have had were really good. They were deep and complex flavors. However for those who like sweeter cocktails like cosmo and pina colada, the options might be limited. I've heard great things about the food too, but I haven't had a chance to dine in. The only food item I tried was the truffle milk toast. It was a play of sweet and savory and had an interesting, complex flavor profile. It tasted expensive! Overall, I think it's a great place to visit and I will continue to visit (: read more

Kumiko - Truffle milk toast - Japanese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Kumiko is a whole vibe on the inside. The inside of the restaurant is very sexy and I love the simplistic vibe of the decor but how intricate the decor is to the overall appeal. We arrived early so we decided to sit at the bar over at a table. READ the whole menu cover to cover! We decided to try all three of the small bites from the specials menu. The oysters , pork belly, and the maitakédon. The pork belly was my absolute favorite!! The flavors and the textures go so well with each other. As for cocktails we began with the starters I tried the gin spritz and my partner umeboshi. This place was very good and I would definitely go back again. read more

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We came for the summer tasting menu and ordered a stirred and shaken cocktail set. The stirred cocktails are definitely stronger than the shaken so if you want something sweeter than get the shaken. The food was portioned well and came out on time. Everything was delicious. Service was also good except servers had a hard time remembering what everything was so it was a bit awkward. Otherwise would come back again when they do a menu change. read more

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Despite trying really hard to be Japanese, this place is far from it. Service tries but waiters slurred and stuttered through Japanese words they don't know If you like Daikon, you're in luck. Half the tasting menu you are tasting daikon. 1 hour after the meal and all I taste in my mouth is Daikon. Would not recommend tasting menu. We paid $600+ to be seated against a very strange curved wall. Atmosphere is generic read more

A lovely room. Welcoming and informed staff. Delicious and thoughtful food and beverage, both spirited and spirit-free.

Loved all the cocktails and everything we ordered from the food menu was delicious! The truffle milk toast is a must-try, the best dessert that I've had in a while. read more

An unexpected layover led us to this amazing bar, what a blessing in disguise! Julia (the amazing bartender behind the whole vision, who we got to see work & we have so much respect for) was somehow able to get us a seat at the bar even though we did not have a reservation. Let's just say the drinks are the BEST cocktails we've ever had (worthy of the top 50 bars in N. America)!! You'll be surprised how she transforms liquors you didn't think you liked The bar bites are also so good! ---chicken karage: perfectly crispy, juicy, quite possibly the best we've had ---wagyu maki: the different textures, mMmm ---oysters: fresh, tasty ---crab kanitamadon: really hit the spot, and the added salmon roe is a must Highly recommend, and we loved our experience so much we bought a signed copy of Julia's book before we left! read more

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