Takashi

Had a fantastic prix-​fix dinner. The hamachi/​foie gras sashimi is to die for.
Bonus point: Our table was next to Ozzie Guillen’s. My fiancé insisted on taking a picture with him though she had no idea who he was. He obliged (my fiancé is very attractive after all).

Perfect décor
delicious quality food
Romantic for a date
i miss this place

This is one of my first encounter with menu tasting and I was probably here 2 years ago. The 9 course meal was unforgettable because it was creative and delicious. The tasting menu changes every months or few weeks. I always wanted to try certain entrée or appetizer that was recommended in Unilocal but it’s seasonal.
Highlight:
The seared duck was made just right.
milk crème brûlée in the egg shell — nice presentation and the custard was creamy
Washugy beef tataki
mushroom soup — soo flavorful with the different variety of mushroom
Pork belly bun — so tender and half lean/​fat with steam bun
Overall, i had a good experience when I first had the tasting menu. However, after takashi announced that he would be closing the restaurant. The tasting menu wasn’t as appealing and the overall food and presentation was just mediocre, Not sure if it was just lack of motivation vs the change in season? Regardless, my first tasting menu here was memorable.

I got to eat at Takashi for the first time on their last night before they closed. I usually don’t really like eating pretentious food, but it was okay… I didn’t hate it. I’m glad I got to check it out before they closed their doors. I was looking forward to trying their egg crème brûlée after reading the other reviews saying it’s the best thing on the menu… it was meh :/

Of all of the 1-​Michelin-​starred restaurants in Chicago that I’ve been to, Takashi is by far my favorite. (For context, that puts it ahead of Acadia, Longman & Eagle, Mexique, and North Pond in my book). I’ve been to Takashi on two occasions and been very pleased both times.
My parents and sister were in town several months ago, so I brought them here for one of our first family dinners in a long time. I remember parking being reasonably easy to find — may have had to do a U-​turn or two but all’s well that ends well. We were seated on time for our reservation and service was friendly. One of my favorite things about Takashi is actually the ambiance — it feels like the first floor of someone’s house rather than a stuffy, fancy schmancy restaurant, which is just as suited for a birthday dinner or family outing as it would be for a date night.
We ordered a wide variety of the appetizers and entrees — between the four of us, we had the tuna tataki, the shrimp ceviche, the scallop/​gnocchi dish, and probably some others that I can’t remember now, along with the steak/​short rib entrée, the pork loin two ways, and a fish dish of some sort (it’s not on their menu anymore, so I can’t remember exactly what it was!). The short ribs were SO GOOD — one of the best renditions of short rib I’ve had at any restaurant ever. I also loved the ceviche and the gnocchi — everything tasted fresh and perfectly cooked.
The second time I went was for their Sunday noodles, where I had the ramen and my boyfriend had the soba. We also ordered the pork belly buns and fried chicken — perhaps more pedestrian items, but executed exceedingly well.
All in all, I’m so bummed that Takashi will be closing at the end of the year. I’ll be back one more time with a friend who’s never been, though, and we’re looking at the tasting menu as a last hurrah — wishing the chef the best of luck with his next endeavor, but we are sure this restaurant will be sorely missed.

I was incredibly pleased with the inventiveness and quality of the food, the efficiency of service and the overall atmosphere of Takashi! I feel like this place does not get recognized quite as often as other core Chicago establishments amongst foodies and its sad that this place is shutting down :(
We came on a Sat night (make reservations in advance) and were seated upon arrival. The house is adorable — it felt like we were in Takashi’s living room and the noise level was low so T and I were able to hear each other. We quickly decided on the tasting menu so left our food experience up to Chef Takashi (who to my delight was in the restaurant cooking and running food the entire time)!
The entire meal was really well balanced — we enjoyed the play of French and Japanese styles and really found the flavors to be bright with pops of acid, salt, and sour. I was a little concerned that the amount of food would be too much, as is common with most tasting menus, but it was actually just right and I found myself finishing each course. I was particularly in love with the pork belly which had an amazing amount of caramelization on it but didn’t have any sort of icky sweetness. Definitely decadent yet broken up from a richness standpoint by the pickled daikon salad. I was also really impressed by the desserts — little perfect macarons that were a great note to finish off our meal.
Our server was incredibly attentive without being annoying and I really enjoyed the overall experience, especially for a quiet date night.

Great sadness fills my heart to know that this place is closing but I’m happy to have experienced it. I was also very surprised to find out that they offered a vegetarian version of the tasting menu. This allowed me to stick to m original ideal of the tasting menu.
To be honest, it was a great value but after seven courses I was slightly hungry still. Keep in mind it was the only thing I had to eat and my reservation was for 7:30. So you shouldn’t be afraid of being stuffed after ordering it.
I opted for cocktails vice wine pairings and this turned out be a bit of a tactical error since the server was slightly inattentive in that regard. Our drinks were finished by the end of the third course where we asked to see the drink menu again, we didn’t get the drink menus again until after the fourth course and then he pretty much never bothered to take a drink order.
The food was excellent. Highlights were definitely the pork belly buns. It was cooked perfectly so that the meat was tender and pretty much dissolved in your mouth but still didn’t taste like overcooked mush. The duck two ways was also amazing.

Food: ¹⁄₅
We had scallops and gnocchi as an appetizer, glazed duck and salmon as mains. Scallops and gnocchi dish was delicious, although it had too many mushrooms that didn’t blend well with the overall smooth texture of gnocchi. Duck was a complete disappointment as it was under cooked and had rather bland sides. Salmon was a bit under cooked as well, very garlicky and nothing to dream about. French baguette was fine, but my sesame seed bread was so stale and hard I couldn’t eat it. Unimpressed, we skipped dessert.
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Our service was great, very attentive. The hostess found us a table upstairs because we preferred not to sit at a table right by the entrance door. Our waiter answered all questions and offered suggestions.
Atmosphere: ²⁄₅
A rather confusing environment. I would’ve liked it to be a more intimate and cozy setting since it’s located in a house. It seems they tried, but couldn’t quite get the interior right. I was sitting right next to a potted plant that had a sale $ 9.99 sticker on it, which was rather ironic considering their pretense and price range.
Overall: ²⁄₅. Won’t be going back.

Down to two stars.
Since my last «review» i had gone to Takashi two or three more times for dinner and brunch. Each time felt it’s getting worse.
Today: food for the most part, nothing to write home about.
Service. Excellent. Certainly had improved over the last couple of times.
Value: zilch.
I still give it the benefit of doubt, with two stars since my son said he was ok with the food, but told me i’d probably give it a 2 out of 10… and he was right.
As happy as I am a restaurant in our neighborhood has gotten a michelin star, i have no idea how it could have happened. I mean, who in their right mind would put Takashi at the same level as Blackbird, and Longman & Eagle let alone the likes of Schwa, Elizabeth, and Moto. The food is nowhere as good or as creative as what could be had at any of these restaurants.
Takashi by any average standard and expectation is a below average restaurant (sorry). The food is standard Japanese fare, Americanized. Regardless — in Japan, i can not imagine they would have lasted.
I respect their success however and sincerely wish them the best.

Seafood Brunch that is almost a BYOB (half off wines, beer and sake). Chef Takashi is so sweet to put together my faves — Brunch ‘N Noodles
Friend River Shrimp — I love these itty bitty shrimps. The only one in Chicago. My last siting was in Asia.
Fried Oyster — yum. 4 mega oysters.
Kasendon — the best in Chicago. Once you taste it, you will be a snob. *wink*. Fresh. No seafood after taste.
Ibaraki Peanuts Chocolate Pave — I love dessert. I love marshmallows. I love peanuts. It’s perfect.

First time = tasting menu (see pictures!)
Everything delicious, I had my first pork bun there… yummy!
very good service, simple and elegant atmosphere, the Chef was very serious while checking that all was pefect. It was a beautiful gourmet dinner.

I really liked Takashi for the food, but the service and space left something to be desired. I think that is why Takashi isn’t impossible to get in to like many of it’s fine dining counterparts. They actually ran a Groupon, which I have never seen a high end restaurant like that do. But I can’t complain, because that Groupon is what allowed my boyfriend and I to try their 9 course tasting menu…
It was excellent. There was not a single dish that I thought was too much or too rich, which is usually my problem with many course tasting menus. Their cocktails were also excellent.
I would not pay full price to eat at Takashi, mainly because the staff was a little green and the space could use some sprucing up.

I bought the Groupon for the Omakase. It turned out to be about 80 $ per person including 2 glasses of wine for a 9 course meal.
It is quite pricey but it is definitely worth all that money. The menu is not exactly the same everyday. They do slightly change it.
we started with an amuse bouche. It was a small tartine with caviar and a cream that I actually do not remember. Just delicious!
Then, we had a couple of courses of Row fish. We had row tune, octopus and scallops. They were all marinated at perfection. We loved it.
The dish that captured my attention was scallops with onion foam and chantarelle mashrooms. I think that for some seconds I felt like in a paradise… so good!!!
Then, we had seared duck. To be honest, this was definitely not my favorite. The duck was marinated in something that was too strong and covered all the other flavors.
The gran finale were the deserts. The first was a panna cotta. I am a picky italian and, believe me, this panna cotta was amazing! The second desert was a signature dish that is always on the menu. It is so good. It is a crème brule’ in a egg shell and a delicious macaroon. Both of them just amazing. The only pity is that we were too full that we could not enjoy the desert 100%.
The service was perfect, efficient and careful. I do not like when the waiter comes to the table too often. Our waiter would exactly know when it was the right time to show up.
My advice: whenver the Groupon is available, BUY IT! I think that it is one of the best Groupon deal in Chicago!

Cost:
Prix Fixe 9 Course Meal
— Regular Price: $ 109
— I Paid: ~$ 80 (bought Groupon — $ 45 tip 20% of $ 109 + taxes)
1. Amuse Bouche — Fried Oyster + Cabbage
If you like oysters, this is your dish. Absolutely delicious. The oyster is fresh and didn’t have the stink that some times come with oysters. Crunchy on the outside and the softness of the oyster on the inside. The oyster itself is rather big. I’m assuming multiple oysters in this dish?
2. Crudo of Octopus, Hamachi + Squids
Tobanjan Vinaigrette
One of my favorite dishes during this 9 course meal. Refreshing and very much a summer dish. The octopus is chewy and our version also included hamachi sashimi. The entire dish is a play of sour balanced by spice from the Korean chili power. It also includes Japanese cucumber and tomatoes then topped by some fish flakes. This was all beautifully presented (see pictures!)
3. Yuke of Rib Eye Beef
Garlic Chips Raw Quail Egg, Asian Pear, Pine Nuts, Sesame
I personally don’t like the thought of eating raw meet. This is a beef tartare with a raw quail egg on top. There is also a sesame rice chip included, and a side of pickled vegetables. I’ve never had pickled Daikon like this before. I would buy a huge jar of this!
4. Spring Pea Soup
Sauteed Frog Legs, Spring Onion Flan, Bacon, Upland Cress Leaves
The spring pea soup was really refreshing and once again beautifully presented. The bacon tasted like ham. The spring pea soup sounds like something so simple, but it was incredibly delicious. I don’t think we came across frog legs (for those of y’all who are nervous)!
5. Sauteed Maine Scallops and Soba Gnocchi
Trumpet Royale, Celery Root-​Parmesan Foam
Hands down the best dish of the night! The scallop was perfectly cooked and looked like it was pan seared. The gnocchi melted in your mouth with a hint of parmesan from the sauce. You can also find some mushroom and seafood such as clams in this dish.
6. Soy-​Ginger Caramel Pork Belly
Pickled Daikon Salad, Steamed Buns
This is essentially an Asian version of pork belly sandwiches. It comes with steamed buns (so soft and tasty) that is used to sandwich the pork belly and the salad/​green vegetables. This also comes with a spicy mustard that tastes like wasabi.
7. Lacquered Duck Breast
Potato-​Celery Root Pancake, Compote of Cheery, White Asparagus and Shimeji Mushroom
Wasn’t a big fan of this dish. Thought the duck was too sweet. This was our main course.
8. Coconut-​Ginger Panna Cotta with Sesame Brittle
There’s a layer of jello on top of the coconut panna cotta. The layer of jello was sour coupled by the sweet panna cotta. The kumquat was also sour and added a punch to this sweet dessert. The sesame caramel brittle was unexpectedly delicious. A very interesting combination.
9. The Egg and Pistachio Macaron
Milk Chocolate Crème Brulee in Brown Egg, Carmel Custard Foam
Pistachio macaron is amazing! This is the only pistachio macaron I’ve ever had that actually tasted like pistachio. The carmel sauce adds an extra kick. The crème brûlée came in an egg shell with chocolate cream on the bottom and sprinkled with salt. It’s a great balance of sweet and salty, and this dessert is worth coming back for.
The service was amazing. Takashi at one point came out to talk to our table.

We took Hubby’s two college buddies here for dinner a few months back. We almost walked by the place because it looks like a house. I felt like we were invited to someone’s house for a dinner with close friends. Even the one bathroom was like one you’d find in a house. The space is cozy and the lighting dim, adding to the intimate ambiance.
We were taken upstairs and seated immediately for our Friday reservation. We all decided to try the omakase with wine pairing. I was surprised by how reasonable the price was for both at such a nice restaurant. Every dish was delicious. The fish dish with the crispy skin was my favorite. I also liked the Soy Ginger Caramel Pork Belly. The chef was so nice to substitute and accommodate our friend who gave up fried food for Lent (why fried food? I don’t know). I had given up desserts for Lent, but that didn’t stop me from devouring the Egg and Pistachio Macaron. That was hands down the highlight of the entire meal.
We definitely got a little loud with lots of laughter as the course of dinner progressed not just because of the wine pairings, but because we were catching up with two of Hubby’s closest college friends. The old couple next to us kept giving us death stares… very creepy because they looked like the couple in the American Gothic portrait. Who can’t get excited about sharing excellent food and great wine with good friends?

My fiancé and I decided to go to Takashi to celebrate our recent engagement on account of a recommendation. We made this decision day of, yet were able to snag an 8:30 reservation.
Upon arriving, though a few minutes late, the staff greeted us, took our coats and took us upstairs to be seated. Once seated we had the slightest blip in service — it took a few minutes to get our drink order taken, but after that, the service was flawless the entire evening.
I started with a St. Germain and cava cocktail and my fiancé has the Campfire (scotch). Both were excellent choices. Late in the evening we had an aromatic Spanish white wine.
We opted not to go for the tasting menu, but to share dishes to make our own tastings. We started with the Yuke Beef. It was EXCELLENT… the best tartare I’ve ever had with a nice little quail egg topping. We rounded out our cold items with the squash and goat cheese terrine — an excellent salad choice.
For hot plates we chose three to share. First we had scallops with soba gnocchi — the sauce was so rich and complex… I love the mushrooms in the dish as well. Then another delicious favorite — Soy Ginger Pork Belly… so delicious… served with hot wasabi mustard on a steamed bun like an open face sandwich… It may have been my favorite dish. Our third hot plate was the Fois Gras — it was a sweet dish… I’d seriously consider getting it in the future as a desert.
Finally we split one main dish — the skatewing… so buttery and amazing with the capers and pickled cauliflower. WOW…
We ordered the cider doughnuts for desert and also out came a surprise with a beautiful plate that said «congratulations» with an edible (though bitter) flower and cherry sorbet and cocoa chips. We ended the meal sipping lattes.
Several times throughout the meal Takashi himself came out to speak with guests — always gracious and with a smile. It was interesting to hear him switch between fluent English and Japanese — using both languages interchangeably.
The food was beyond fantastic and the service was excellent. I’d LOVE to come back here again soon!

In a word… tremendous. Had the great fortune to dine at this Chicago gem with my significant other this last Saturday night. We elected to have the tasting menu, and I also chose the optional wine pairing. Each course was thoughtfully prepared and delicious. Highlights for me included the pork belly and the gnocchi and scallops. The custard dessert served in a half eggshell perfectly completed a wonderful meal.
The best part of the night was realizing that Chef Takashi was personally in house and was expediting orders in the kitchen. As a huge fan of Top Chef Masters it was a big thrill, and Chef graciously allowed a photo with big smiles on both our faces.
Any foodie would be wise to dine at Takashi!