Gaijin

Q: Does Gaijin offer gift cards?

Gaijin does offer gift cards which you can purchase here .

4.7

124 Reviews

$30 and under

Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 16, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 35 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!

Dining areas

Additional information

Location
950 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
Phone number
(312) 265-1348
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Japanese (Okonomiyaki), Asian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–6:00 pm
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
None
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Gift card

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Experiences

Sunset Soundscapes - Monthly DJ Night
US$5.00 per person
Prepaid
Mar 19, 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
Mar 20, 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
Apr 17, 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 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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 124 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.

124 Reviews

I
Ingeborg VIP
Chicago64 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Love it a lot! Japanese street food is great! We sat at the bar, seeing all the dishes getting prepared. Definitely one to consider again.
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M
Mya
Calgary2 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was truly a unique, delicious experience. The staff were kind, helpful and a pleasure to be around. We will be coming back for sure!
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SN
SN13 VIP
Chicago45 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I’ve been going to Gaijin since it opened, and it’s always been wonderful. The food and service are really good, but what I really like about Gaijin is it’s one of the few restaurants left in Fulton Market that feels like it’s doing something progressive without taking itself so seriously.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London1 review
5.0
Dined 3 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 5 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 7 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 7 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 on March 8, 2025
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 March 7, 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 March 3, 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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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Gaijin using the Order Online button.

Gaijin is rated 4.7 stars by 124 OpenTable diners.

Gaijin does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.