Gaijin

Q: Does Gaijin offer gift cards?

Gaijin does offer gift cards which you can purchase here .

4.7

121 Reviews

$30 and under

Japanese

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2 people

15 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 32 times today

Experiences are available.

Innovative
Hot spot
Neighbourhood gem

Gaijin by Chef Paul Virant is Chicago’s first okonomiyaki restaurant, offering both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake. A self-described gaijin, or “outsider” in Japanese, Virant playfully embraces this perspective and honors traditional preparations and techniques, as well as his well-known passion for pickling and preserving.

Designed to deliver a lively and interactive culinary experience, the 60-seat space is anchored by a custom 12-foot griddle and chef’s counter and offers individual Hiroshima teppan griddles for table service.

The dessert menu features kakigori, a shaved ice dessert, along with mochi donuts and other Japanese-inspired treats. The bar program showcases highballs and a focused selection of beer – including a Moody Tongue-Gaijin collaboration house lager, sake, Japanese whisky, and wine.

We can’t wait to see you at Gaijin!

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Okonomiyaki, Asian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 17:00–22:00 Sat, Sun 11:00–22:00 Happy Hour Mon–Thu 17:00–18:00
Phone number
(312) 265-1348
Website
https://gaijinchicago.com/
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
950 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
Area
West Loop
Parking details
None
Public transit
Morgan Green Line

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Experiences

Sunset Soundscapes - Monthly DJ Night
USD 5.00 per person
Prepaid
19 Mar 2025 only
Our monthly DJ night is back! This month, we're thrilled to have DJ Shon Dervis spinning a killer mix of city pop, funk, and soul from 6pm-9pm. Come early for happy hour deals from 5pm-6pm and stay for the vibes. Plus, enjoy half-off sake bottle all night long. A $5 deposit per person secures your reservation and will be applied to the final bill. See you there!
Chef Collaboration Night: Brian Jupiter
20 Mar 2025 only
Gaijin is thrilled to welcome Chef Brian Jupiter of Frontier and Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods in on Thursday, March 20th, for the seventh installment of our Chef Collaboration series! Chef Jupiter will be in house from 6 - 8 p.m. to showcase his unique osaka-style okonomiyaki special. This is a one-night-only opportunity you won't want to miss!
Chef Collaboration Night: Christian Hunter
17 Apr 2025 only
Gaijin is thrilled to welcome Chef Christian Hunter of Atelier in on Thursday, April 17th, for the eighth installment of our Chef Collaboration series! Chef Hunter will be in house from 6 - 8 p.m. to showcase his unique osaka-style okonomiyaki special. This is a one-night-only opportunity you won't want to miss!

Offers

Try Our Happy Hour Specials Starting At $5!
Multiple dates available
Mon - Thu - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Join us Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., for selected highballs, sake, draft beer, starters and share plates, starting at $5. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are also welcome.

What 121 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gaijin delivers an outstanding culinary experience with "delicious food" and "amazing drinks." The Japanese okonomiyaki and mochi donuts are "a must-try." Patrons praise the "friendly service" and "inviting atmosphere." Although some feedback highlights seasoning concerns, the restaurant remains a top choice for adventurous diners seeking authentic flavors and diverse menu options.

121 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
London1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great spot! The okonomiyaki is delicious! Strongly recommended!
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J
Jordan
Orlando1 review
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always exemplary. My fifth visit to Gaijin and there will be many more.
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A
Adriana VIP
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, very different from any Asian cuisine, very specific and nice. The place is small, always full with great atmosphere. The servis is very efficient, helpful and fast. Great experience.
1 person found this helpful
J
Joanne
Chicago40 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Such a fun and delicious dinner! Great food and great drinks and stellar service. I have been before and have been hyping this place to my friends. It definitely lived up to the hype and we had a blast! This place is not to be missed!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was amazing as always I tried the duck and it was great 😊
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A
Alexandra
Detroit1 review
3.0
Dined on 7 March 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Fun but I don’t need to eat here twice. The pancakes are decent
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H
Hanae
Chicago1 review
5.0
Dined on 3 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I had a business dinner with customers from Japan. But I wanted it to be a nice casual occasion, so Gaijin was just the right fit. Good Japanese choices and good drinks. The Okonomiyaki was pretty good but they enjoyed the atmosphere so much that they went for seconds on the highball. My boss joined us later in the night, the staff was super-flexible and friendly, the night got better and in the end, we all enjoyed the evening :)
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C
Cody
Unspecified1 review
3.0
Dined on 23 February 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I have been wanting to try this place for a while now, I was exited to step in for brunch! The host was very kind, the ambiance was nice, and the noise wasn’t too loud. My server happened to be the bartender and I sadly didn’t get to catch her name(she was working the brunch shift on 2/23 and she was amazing! She helped me pick a drink, wasn’t intrusive, and had a warm bubbly and inviting personality. Sadly that’s about where it ends, everything was much so overly salted, I couldn’t finish my rice dish because the amount of salt that was on the food was aggressive. I didn’t complain nor ask for my money because it’s not worth the trouble, but please focus on bringing the flavor out in the food without needing to pile on the salt.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC1 review
5.0
Dined on 17 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of my favorite places in the city. It’s the only place I ever willingly visit west loop to eat at. Worth it every time.
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J
Justin
Indiana9 reviews
5.0
Dined on 16 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We're very impressed with the unique flavors of an otherwise authentically created dish. The service was very friendly and prompt. The atmosphere was positive and inviting with a pleasant buzz among all the customers without being overly loud. While visiting Chicago, this was a great stop on our itinerary and the location has such easy access. For okonomiyaki regulars who have roots in the city of Osaka, we were very impressed! Don't forget the mochi donuts and the kakigori for dessert!
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FAQs

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Gaijin is rated 4.7 stars by 121 OpenTable diners.